San Francisco Unicorns fast bowler Haris Rauf has been ruled out of the remainder of the 2025 Major League Cricket season due to an injury.
The franchise confirmed that the Pakistan quick suffered a Grade 1 hamstring strain during the team’s recent win over the Texas Super Kings. An MRI scan confirmed the injury, and following medical assessments, Rauf was declared unavailable for the playoffs.
Ben Lister replaces Haris Rauf at MLC
Rauf, who is currently the leading wicket-taker in the season with 17 wickets in eight matches at an economy rate of 9.08, has been replaced by New Zealand left-arm pacer Ben Lister for the remainder of the tournament. The 29-year-old, who has played 12 T20Is, was training with the team for the past two weeks and was available for immediate selection in Unicorn’s clash against LAKR. He opened the bowling and conceded 43 runs in 2.1 overs, before he was disbarred from bowling after conceding two above waist-high no-balls.
The Unicorns finished third in the table with seven wins from ten games, and will play MI New York in the Eliminator on July 9 in Dallas.
Rauf is also expected to be unavailable for Pakistan’s upcoming three-match T20I series against Bangladesh. The Pakistan team is scheduled to arrive in Bangladesh on July 16, 2025, with the matches set for July 20, 22, and 24 at the Shere-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka. The PCB has not yet issued an official update on Rauf’s recovery timeline, though.
Following the Bangladesh series, Pakistan’s next assignment is a white-ball tour of the West Indies in August 2025, comprising three ODIs and three T20Is.
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