ISLAMABAD: Former Australia Test opener Mathew Hayden is thrilled to watch fast bowling in the ongoing HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) and has singled out Lahore Qalandars’ pacer Haris Rauf as the fear factor for Pakistan at the international level in future.

Hayden, who is commenting on PSL matches, was impressed with the 25-year-old Haris, who seized a match-winning four for 23 in Lahore’s 23-run win over Karachi Kings in Dubai on Saturday, said a press release issued here.

Hayden said talent of the players like Haris is amazing. Right-armer Haris, who is yet to play first-class cricket, is regarded as the latest ‘Rawalpindi Express’ after he was discovered at a talent hunt camp held in Gujranwala in September 2017.

“It has been good for me to exposure PSL,” said Hayden who has had little connection with Pakistan cricket.”I never toured Pakistan and only ever seen them on the neutral territories in Sri Lanka and the UAE [in 2002],” Hayden, who briefly held the record for the highest Test score of 380 he made against Zimbabwe at Perth in 2003, said.

“Getting a connection with Pakistan cricket excites me,” the former Aussie cricketer stated.

He believes the main objective through PSL is to get international cricket back to Pakistan.

“I am not going to Pakistan because of my prior commitments but the goal should be to bring cricket back to this country,” Hayden said.

Published in Dawn, February 21st, 2019