Indian cricket fans flooded social media with sarcastic reactions after Pakistan excluded fast bowler Haris Rauf from their T20 World Cup 2026 squad, with many jokingly lamenting the loss of their "secret agent."

 

Following Pakistan's squad announcement on Sunday, Indian users on X (formerly Twitter) took aim at Rauf's exclusion, referencing his costly performances against India in past encounters.

 

One user wrote: "We will miss our secret agent at the event. He was there for us when times got tough for us."

 

Another user wrote, "Indian favourite Haris Rauf has been dropped from Pakistan's T20 World Cup team because he always helped India win matches. Just when we thought Pakistan would win today..."

 

The trolling continued with fans expressing mock disappointment. "Haris Rauf the Impact player of India in crucial matches," one user quipped, while another declared: "I am boycotting if Haris Rauf is not playing against us."

 

Some took playful digs at opposition teams, writing, "Other teams will miss Haris Rauf's death bowling," sarcastically suggesting his exclusion would hurt Pakistan's opponents more than the team itself.

 

During the press conference at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, PCB Director High Performance Aqib Javed addressed questions about Rauf's omission. "We think about what conditions the team plays in and what combination works better there," Javed explained.

 

"Haris Rauf has played for Pakistan for a long time, but if you look at the recent past, a different combination emerges. We built this team keeping in mind the conditions and since most matches will happen in Sri Lanka, we considered what your best composition could be there," he added.

 

Pakistan announced their 15-member squad for the tournament, with former captain Babar Azam returning to the fold while excluding both Rauf and Mohammad Rizwan.

 

A pattern of high-pressure failures appears to have sealed Rauf's fate. During the 2024 T20 World Cup, Rauf could not defend 15 runs in the final over against the United States, forcing a Super Over that Pakistan ultimately lost in one of the tournament's biggest upsets.

 

In the 2022 T20 World Cup against India, Rauf bowled the 19th over with Pakistan defending 28 runs off eight balls. Virat Kohli hit two consecutive sixes off the final two deliveries, turning the match in India's favor.

 

Most recently, Rauf failed to defend 10 runs in the final over against Brisbane Heat in the ongoing BBL.

 

Pakistan hopes to begin their T20 World Cup campaign against the Netherlands on February 7 in Colombo.