'They won't be able to play me easily': Haris Rauf already making plans to test India in his 'home ground'

The 2022 edition of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup is scheduled to start in just a little more than two weeks' time. The Rohit Sharma-led Indian team, like any other event in which they participate, will start as one of the favourites to bag the title. But they can't afford to be complacent. In last year’s edition of the T20 World Cup, India suffered two back-to-back defeats against Pakistan and New Zealand in their opening matches, which ended the campaign for India. And this time again, the Men in Blue will face the likes of Pakistan and South Africa in the initial few matches of the group stage. With only two teams to progress from the group, it becomes important for India to start well.

The Rohit Sharma-led side will face Pakistan in the tournament opener on October 23 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. In last year’s edition of the mega event as well, India opened the campaign against the Men in Green, but failed to get better of them. This time they will hope to take revenge for it, but it won’t be easy as Pakistan are also performing well and recently defeated India in an Asia Super Four match too.

Ahead of the tournament’s opening game for both sides, Pakistan’s premier pacer, Haris Rauf, has fired a warning to the Men in Blue and said that he will have special plans for the Indian team on his "home ground".

"The match between India and Pakistan is always a high-pressure game. In the World Cup last year, I was feeling so much pressure. But in the past two matches in the Asia Cup, I didn't feel much of it because I knew I just had to give my best," Haris Rauf said in the post-match interview after the fifth T20I against England in Lahore on Wednesday (September 28).

"If I give my best, they won't be able to play me easily. For the upcoming World Cup match, I'm very happy because it is at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. It is my home ground because I play for the Melbourne Stars, and I have an idea of how the conditions play out there. I've already started planning on how I would bowl against India," Rauf added.

Rauf made his debut for Pakistan in the shortest format against Bangladesh on January 24, 2020 in Lahore, and since then he has featured in 46 matches in which he has picked up 58 wickets. In the two matches he played against India in the Asia Cup this year, he picked up only one wicket and conceded 35 and 38 runs respectively in four overs.