A US cricketer has accused Pakistani fast bowler Haris Rauf of ball tampering following Pakistan’s surprising loss to the United States in the T20 World Cup on Thursday.
Rusty Theron, the accuser, took to social media, specifically X (formerly Twitter), to voice his suspicions. In a tweet, Theron alleged that Rauf attempted to tamper with the ball using his fingernails during the match.
“Are we just going to pretend Pakistan isn’t scratching the hell out of this freshly changed ball?” Theron tweeted, tagging the International Cricket Council (ICC). He questioned how the ball could swing drastically after just two overs, suggesting foul play.
These accusations arose after an intense match where the US team narrowly escaped defeat, clinching victory in the Super Over. Pakistan is now set to face arch-rival India on Sunday in their second match of the T20 World Cup.
Captain Babar Azam, speaking to reporters after the loss, acknowledged Pakistan’s tendency to underestimate less established teams in major tournaments. He admitted that his side played below their usual standard.
“Whenever you enter a tournament, you always prepare to the best of your ability,” Babar said. “But sometimes, when facing a team like this, you tend to relax a bit. You take things lightly.
“If you fail to execute your plans against any team, regardless of their stature, they will defeat you. We didn’t execute our plans well as a team.”
Babar also lamented his team’s inability to take wickets in the first half of the US innings, highlighting the early partnership between Mohank Patel and Andries Gous as crucial in the host nation’s successful chase.
“We aren’t performing well in all three aspects,” Babar noted. “While our bowling is better than what we’ve shown, we’re not taking wickets in the initial overs. If our spinners aren’t taking wickets during the middle overs, the pressure mounts on us.
“However, credit to the US team for their performance in the super overs.”
This defeat to lower-ranked opposition in major tournaments is not unfamiliar territory for Pakistan, having previously lost to Zimbabwe in the 2022 T20 World Cup and Afghanistan in last year’s 50-overs World Cup.
