Fast pacer Haris Rauf is facing serious allegations of ball tempering in that last T20 match against the USA. Former South African cricketer and current USA player Rusty Theron alleged that Rauf tampered with the ball using his fingernails after introducing a fresh ball in the 13th over. ICC hasn’t issued any official comment on this situation.
Rusty Theron, a former South African cricketer now playing for the USA, has pointed fingers at Pakistan’s fast bowler and pacer Haris Rauf, accusing him of ball tampering during their T20 World Cup clash on June 6th in Dallas. He took social media to put his point to the authorities.
According to the accusation, the match took an unexpected turn when Pakistan changed the ball at the start of the 13th over, with the USA team well-positioned at 94 for one. This decision, now under scrutiny, may have significantly impacted the game.
USA captain Monank Patel maintained the team’s momentum by hitting Shaheen Afridi for a four and a six in consecutive balls. In the next over, Haris Rauf dismissed Andries Gous with a delivery that showed a hint of reverse swing, striking the top of the off stump.
The controversy erupted when Theron tweeted about the incident, accusing Haris of scratching the newly changed ball with his fingernail, leading to the reverse swing. Theron’s tweet read: “@ICC are we just going to pretend Pakistan aren’t scratching the hell out of this freshly changed ball? Reversing the ball that’s just been changed 2 overs ago? You can literally see Haris Rauf running his thumbnail over the ball at the top of his mark. @usacricket #PakvsUSA.”
What Will Happen Next?
This accusation has now drawn the ICC’s attention, sparking a major investigation. The ICC’s response and any potential sanctions will be keenly watched in the coming days. Cricket fans are closely following developments, with some calling for a thorough probe and others defending Rauf.
Despite this controversy, the USA team is in a strong position to qualify for the Super 8 round of the tournament after back-to-back wins against Canada and Pakistan.
Pakistan will face arch-rivals India in their next match on June 9 at the Nassau County International Stadium in New York.