From tape ball to selling nimco: Haris Rauf's journey is an inspiration for many

Cricketer Haris Rauf served as an inspiration to many as he shared his early-life struggles and journey to become the first-choice pacer of the Pakistan cricket team.

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In a recent interview given to a cricket portal, ahead of the Cricket World Cup, Haris Rauf spoke candidly about his early life and an inspirational journey from a tape ball cricketer to being an integral part of the national squad.

The right-arm pacer of the national team, who was first discovered during the franchise trials of the Pakistan Super League in 2017, divulged the tough times that his family went through when he was a kid and how he sponsored himself through college and university by playing tape ball cricket and selling snacks on the street.

Rauf revealed that he used to work at a local market every Sunday, selling nimco (snacks) to earn his school fees, and would attend the classes and cricket academy on the rest of the weekdays.

Moreover, the cricketer shared that later during his university tenure, he would manage his semester fees of Rs.70,000-80,000 himself, by playing tape ball, as his father was not earning well.

“My father was not earning enough to be able to pay my fees and I couldn’t afford it too but by playing tape-ball cricket I would easily manage my fees,” he told the interviewer.

“The boys who play tape-ball professionally in Pakistan, easily make around 2-2.5 lakh per month. I used to earn that and would give it to my mother but I never told my father about earning this much,” Rauf added.

It is pertinent to mention that the Green Shirts are currently in Hyderabad, India, for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, scheduled to be played from October 5 to November 19.

Pakistani team will play its first match against the Netherlands on October 6, while, the first clash against arch-rival, India is scheduled for October 14.

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