Rauf to make surprise return for injury-hit Stars

The injury-depleted Melbourne Stars have pulled off a major coup to bolster their inexperienced pace stocks with Haris Rauf returning for another KFC BBL season.

The then-uncapped Pakistani seamer burst onto the global T20 scene in BBL|09 after he was plucked by the Stars from Lahore Qalandars.

The 28-year-old, who is capable of reaching speeds above 150kph, took an astonishing 20 wickets from 10 matches during that 2019-20 campaign, which included a hat-trick that lit up a packed MCG.

The Stars fan favourite returned for a three-game cameo in BBL|10, claiming a solitary wicket before he was called up to Pakistan's Test squad in January 2021.

Rauf's success at the Stars catapulted him into national contention and he made his T20I debut for Pakistan in Lahore in January 2020 – during the BBL|09 season – before returning to Australia for the Big Bash finals where the Stars lost the decider to the Sydney Sixers.

He also made his ODI debut later that year and recently featuring in all six of Pakistan's T20 World Cup matches, including the semi-final they lost to eventual champions Australia.

The express right-armer comes into BBL|11 in sparkling form after collecting 6-47 and 3-62 for Northern in Pakistan first-class cricket last week.

Rauf has blazed the way for the Stars' debutant in the season opener against the Sixers, Syed Faridoun, who also came from the Lahore Qalanders.

He will be a welcome addition to a Stars bowling line-up that was without T20 World Cup hero Marcus Stoinis and Billy Stanlake as they conceded 213 runs from 20 overs in game one last Sunday.

That attack featured first-gamers Sam Elliott, Faridoun and Brody Couch and they struggled to contain the Sixers high-powered batting unit of Josh Philippe, James Vince and Moises Henriques.

Stars coach David Hussey said they couldn't wait to see Rauf back with the team.

"His addition brings experience, energy and quality to our fast-bowling stocks. I’m sure the Stars fans will enjoy seeing him represent Team Green again in BBL|11," Hussey said.

Rauf will play his first game on December 27 against the Brisbane Heat and will remain with the team until the end of the season.

The Stars next face the Sydney Thunder on Friday in their first home game of the season at the MCG.

Melbourne Stars squad: Qais Ahmad (Afghanistan), Joe Burns, Hilton Cartwright, Joe Clarke (England), Brody Couch (replacement for Billy Stanlake), Nathan Coulter-Nile, Sam Elliott, Syed Faridoun, Liam Hatcher, Clint Hinchcliffe, Nick Larkin, Glenn Maxwell, Peter Nevill (replacement for Seb Gotch), Tom O’Connell, Sam Rainbird, Haris Rauf (Pakistan), Marcus Stoinis, Beau Webster, Adam Zampa

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