Liam Dawson's wicket was the turning point: Haris Rauf

Liam Dawson's wicket was the turning point: Haris Rauf

Cricket

Rauf also had words of praise for his fellow paceman Mohammad Hasnain.

LAHORE (Web Desk) - Pakistan fast bowler Haris Rauf said that Liam Dawson’s wicket was the turning point in the fourth T20I against England at the National Stadium in Karachi. Dawson took the Three Lions to the threshold of a victory and a 3-1 series lead after scoring 34 runs off 17 balls with five fours and one six.

However, Rauf dismissed him to bring Pakistan back into the contest. In the very next ball, Rauf knocked over Olly Stone for a golden duck and found himself on a hat-trick. To his dismay, he didn’t get the hat-trick after an on-field LBW decision against Reece Topley wasn’t overturned.

"I was not thinking about giving up until England score those runs. I tried to take wickets and dismiss the tail-enders. Liam Dawson’s wicket was the turning point, according to me, and after that, I gained more confidence," Rauf said in the video posted by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

Rauf also had words of praise for his fellow paceman Mohammad Hasnain for picking early wickets in the powerplay. Hasnain got rid of Alex Hales and Will Jacks and reduced England to 13/2 in two overs.

In his first three overs, Hasnain conceded only 16 runs before leaking 24 runs in the 18th over of England’s run-chase. Despite the expensive over, Hasnain got backing from Rauf.

"The matches in Lahore will be even more exciting. The way we won the game, the way Hasnain picked up the wickets, that put pressure on England. I felt relaxed after three wickets went down in the powerplay. The way he bowled at the start benefitted the team a lot. It doesn’t matter how much he went for in his last over, but he gave his best," he added.

Pakistan, captained by Babar Azam, won the fourth T20I by three runs and drew level in the seven-match series.

The series now moves to the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore where Pakistan and England will lock horns in the fifth T20I on Wednesday, September 28.