"You cannot have a better teacher than Wasim Akram" : Rumman Raees

[Abdullah719]

One of the key members of Islamabad United's bowling attack, twenty-five-year old Rumman Raees continued his excellent form in the 2017 edition of the PSL taking twelve wickets in seven matches. By doing so, Rumman who has already played one international Twenty20 game made a powerful case for his inclusion in the Pakistan squad bound for the upcoming tour of the West Indies.

In an exclusive interview with PakPassion.net, Rumman spoke about his satisfaction with his performance during the PSL, the advice he received from Wasim Akram and Dean Jones and looked forward to making a favourable impression on the selectors for the upcoming tour of the West Indies.

PakPassion.net : How do you feel about your performance in the recently concluded Pakistan Super League?

Rumman Raees : Firstly, I would like to thank the Almighty for whatever success I have achieved in the PSL. I put in more hard work compared to the previous edition of the PSL and the results are there for all to see. The credit for this improvement must also go to the senior players and coaches as they all instilled a lot of confidence in me during the tournament.


PakPassion.net : Is there anything special that you worked on in your preparations for PSL 2017?

Rumman Raees : I think an important factor in my improved performance was the advice I received from Wasim Akram. He advised me last year to fix issues with my bowling action but I would also like to give credit to my UBL coach, Umar Rashid who has worked tirelessly to help me in improving my bowling action. If you look at my action from last year’s PSL, you will see a big difference. I used to have a high-arm action and my accuracy was all over the place. This year, I had much more control over line and length and that is purely due to a positive change in my bowling action.


PakPassion.net : What sort of advice did you get from the likes of Wasim Akram and Dean Jones?

Rumman Raees : When you play under the guidance of such great personalities, it does wonders for your confidence. It’s not just legendary players like Wasim Akram or the vastly experienced Dean Jones but even the presence and advice of Misbah-ul-Haq, Shane Watson and Brad Haddin can have a great effect on your game. With their help, I have become more game aware and have learnt to adjust my game to varying match conditions. I have learnt how to prepare myself mentally for the game ahead, how to handle oneself and keep control of one’s feelings when under extreme pressure and to continue to stay focussed on the game plan.

Apart from the mental aspects of the game, when it comes to sharpening your skills, you cannot have a better teacher than Wasim Akram. I am very lucky in that way as I was always a great fan of Wasim Akram from a very young age. To have him advise me and give me such detailed tips is simply incredible. During the PSL it was very normal for him to watch me bowl and then bowl himself to show me what I needed to change. For instance, inswing was natural to me but I had problems with outswing which he told me how to do with more control than before. He was also very impressed with the variation in my bowling but he worked on showing me how to bowl slower deliveries with the same action of my quicker deliveries which was awesome. Apart from mental and skill aspects, there is knowledge about diet and fitness that I also picked from interacting with such great players.


PakPassion.net : Why were Islamabad United not able to repeat the performance of last year in winning the title again?

Rumman Raees : That is true that we failed to retain the title but then victory and defeat are part of any sport. We did exceptionally well last year and became champions and even this year we seemed to be on our way to the top. Unfortunately, in that key game against Karachi our batting collapsed even though we had done really well with our bowling. There is nothing deeper than the fact that we did not play well on that day and lost to Karachi. These things happen and we will, God Willing, be back next year after more preparation and try and win the title for the second time. The way to judge true champions is to see how they pick themselves after a fall and make a comeback and Islamabad United have that ability and belief to make a comeback next year.


PakPassion.net : How did the absence of Sharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif effect the team and its chances in PSL 2017?

Rumman Raees : It was a total shock to all of us. Whilst I cannot comment on the case itself, I would like to say that regardless of what happened, I am really proud of our team. We composed ourselves after this shock and we all got together and moved on to compete with the rest of the teams. To me, this shows the true strength of any good team.


PakPassion.net : What is the secret behind your peculiar celebration when you take a wicket?

Rumman Raees : It is difficult to put that into words but let me try. Let me start by saying that Twenty20 cricket in today’s world has become very tough for fast-bowlers. Whilst in the longer formats you can take a wicket and enjoy yourself by running around or even saying a few things to a batsman because you feel that you have the upper-hand. However, in Twenty20, you may have taken a wicket now but the next ball you can be hit for a six or a four; you could turn from a hero to a villain in a space of a few deliveries. So, in my view there is no point of showing aggression after getting a batsman out as you never know what’s around the corner. This is my style of celebration and whilst it has been discussed a lot, it is not necessarily one that people understand or like but I am fine with that.


PakPassion.net : How did it feel when Mohammad Amir returned the favour with a similar celebration?

Rumman Raees : Well for one thing, I was happy that my style of celebration was so good and popular that others have also started to copy it. Make no mistake, Amir and I are excellent friends and he has been a great supporter for me and he has always shared his knowledge and experience with me. When he imitated my celebration, I smiled at him and he smiled back so it was all great fun which is what Twenty20 cricket is all about.


PakPassion.net : How pleased are you that the PSL has been such a success?

Rumman Raees : When we all participate in a competitive league like the PSL, of course we are all focussed towards winning the title for our teams. But inside me, I have great pride that I am part of something so fantastic as the PSL. I hope and pray that the PSL goes from strength to strength and I would like to congratulate the PCB for arranging the final in Lahore. It was great to see our stars as well as foreign players play on our home soil. I had tears of happiness in my eyes when the national anthem was being played as that was a touching moment for me. I could not travel to Lahore due to personal commitments but my best wishes were with everyone that evening. The foreign players who came over to Pakistan also deserve a great vote of thanks from all of us for making that final a great occasion. The final was played between Peshawar and Quetta but the winner, in my view, was Pakistan.


PakPassion.net : You seem to have a serious outlook to your cricket; is that by design or is that your nature?

Rumman Raees : That is my nature. I am a down to earth person and I am not one to be jumping up and down just because I have had one or two successes. My aim is to take something which I have done right and look to repeat it in a better way. I also make an effort to learn from my mistakes and make sure that I don’t repeat them again.


PakPassion.net : Are you looking forward to being named in the squad for the tour of the West Indies?

Rumman Raees : I am as hopeful as ever. I did make my international debut for Pakistan against the West Indies in Abu Dhabi in September last year so I am hoping that will count for something as well. I am currently part of the camp from which the final squad for the West indies tour will be chosen so I am very hopeful of good news in a few days time.


PakPassion.net : How hopeful are you of establishing yourself as a permanent selection in Pakistan’s Twenty20 and ODI squads?

Rumman Raees : Like any other player, it would great if I could establish myself in Pakistan teams for LOI formats. My own only wish is to serve Pakistan and I will be the happiest person if I can achieve that. Regardless of which type of format I play, I will be satisfied if I perform well and am able to serve my country to the fullest.

[MenInG]

Lovely attitude and some performances to go with that too. Not express pace but always room for improvement and good to see Amir helping other pacers also

[Square Drive]

Can be a mainstay in our T20I side.

Looking forward to seeing him in the Caribbean.

[Abdullah]

should be in first eleven for t20s

[hadi123]

Should keep his place in T20 squad

[pakistanigoneaussie]

feel he will be a t20 specialist unless he adds more strings to the bow. His kind of bowling gives the impression he is most successful when batters are going after them and he can then outfox them.

Its great none the less to have a smart bowler for a change

[Syed1]

feel he will be a t20 specialist unless he adds more strings to the bow. His kind of bowling gives the impression he is most successful when batters are going after them and he can then outfox them.

Its great none the less to have a smart bowler for a change

Same was said about Hasan Ali and see how that turned out.

Rumman is genuinely talented and if he keeps working hard there is no reason to believe that he would not be an important cog in our ODI lineup as well. I'd take Rumman in a heartbeat over the likes of Wahab Riaz who have "aggression and pace" but get smacked for 100 in their quota.


Rumman Raees has the best economy rate of all bowlers across both seasons of PSL. That is no easy feat. He has a bucketload of wickets to go with the economy too.

[Flat_Track_Bully]

He's a clever bowler like Hasan Ali. He will do well in international arena.

[Amirforpresident]

feel he will be a t20 specialist unless he adds more strings to the bow. His kind of bowling gives the impression he is most successful when batters are going after them and he can then outfox them.

Its great none the less to have a smart bowler for a change

Tbf I saw him getting a bit of away movement against a left hander of WI. Def feel he has more to offer than weve seen so far from him. His pace has also gone up compared to 1 year ago, so a year with the national team and im sure he will only get better and faster like Hasan Ali.

We've a decent ODI bowling line up with Amir, Hasan, Sohail and Ruman.

[Flat_Track_Bully]

Don't need pace in LOI cricket. Need variation and intelligence which Hasan Ali and Rumman have.

I think we have a pretty good pace attack with Hasan, Rumman and Amir.

Imad and Shadab as spin bowling ARs means we have good balance.

[Syed1]

Don't need pace in LOI cricket. Need variation and intelligence which Hasan Ali and Rumman have.

I think we have a pretty good pace attack with Hasan, Rumman and Amir.

Imad and Shadab as spin bowling ARs means we have good balance.

We lack an off-spinner. It is easier for lefty batsmen to play leg-spinners or left-arm spinners.

[pakistanigoneaussie]

Same was said about Hasan Ali and see how that turned out.

Rumman Raees has the best economy rate of all bowlers across both seasons of PSL. That is no easy feat. He has a bucketload of wickets to go with the economy too.

I always liked hasan ali and i think most here always did as well. Its just because one posters opinon regarding his height that it appears like people were writing him off. Thing is though that Hasan in comparison to Rumaan right now has far more going for him.

Pace is important, now as u said it does mean you turn into AGRESSSIVEE Riaz and bowl blindly, but if u have pace and control with some seam movement you can also pick up wickets. Hasan is still learning but you get the feeling he can also get a wicket, he did that quite often in Aus not just in the death.

So far what i have of Raees he is an excellent t20 bowler, but does he have enough other skills to put him ahead of Hasan Ali, Amir, Sohail Khan, and Junaid when it comes to odis ? Id say no, he is probably next in line but not there yet and should be allowed to cement himself in t20s first.

[Chief Destroyer]

Same was said about Hasan Ali and see how that turned out.

Rumman is genuinely talented and if he keeps working hard there is no reason to believe that he would not be an important cog in our ODI lineup as well. I'd take Rumman in a heartbeat over the likes of Wahab Riaz who have "aggression and pace" but get smacked for 100 in their quota.


Rumman Raees has the best economy rate of all bowlers across both seasons of PSL. That is no easy feat. He has a bucketload of wickets to go with the economy too.

There's no comparison between them. Hasan is faster, conventional swing, reverse swing, seams the ball a mile, yorkers, bouncers. He's the complete package in terms of skill.

[Saj]

Uses his brain when he bowls. Really like this guy.

Not only should he be a regular in T20Is, I think he should be tried in ODIs also.

Great control, variety and skill.

[khurram39]

Off course no one is better than Waim, he is a living legend and getting trained by him is a kind of hope every cricketer can hope.

[volcyz]

Always great to have competition for spots

[Abdullah719]

It’s a high-voltage fixture. Defending champions Islamabad United win the toss and opt to field first against an in-form Karachi Kings side in the second play-off of the Pakistan Super League (PSL).

The Karachi openers start off strong as Babar Azam and Chris Gayle put up a 35-run partnership in five overs and United are already under pressure. Misbah-ul-Haq, their captain, hands the ball to Rumman Raees for his second over.

Rumman has a job to do. He needs to get the men on fire before they can further minimize United’s hopes to go through.

The left-armer bowls the first three balls, concedes just three. Babar steals a single to escape Rumman’s suffocating length, line and variations. He had to trust Gayle, the big man, to handle the medium-fast bowler better.

Rumman to Gayle — length ball on middle, Gayle goes deep in his crease, gets under the ball and puts it into orbit over the square leg region. Six it is!

Pressure is back on the bowler.

Next ball, Gayle looks for a repeat of the slog over square leg, but this time Rumman bowls it fuller, and pitches it outside off stump as well. In dragging the ball, Gayle gets an inside edge onto his stumps. The umpires check for the no-ball. It’s all fine.

Rumman doesn’t move, this has to be a moment worth celebrating, but no, the man of the moment prefers to stay on earth.

“In Twenty20, you may have taken a wicket now but the next ball you can be hit for a six or a four; you could turn from a hero to a villain in a space of a few deliveries,” says Rumman, reasoning his unique celebration in an interview for Pakpassion.net

“So, in my view there is no point of showing aggression after getting a batsman out as you never know what’s around the corner,” adds the 25-year-old.

Karachi Kings were the eventual winners of the match after United’s devastatingly unsuccessful run chase of just 127 runs. Mohammad Amir, another left-armer did some banter as he dismissed Rumman to mark an end to the day’s proceedings, copying his celebration.

Rumman enjoyed it, as he believes it’s the fun part that makes T20 cricket special.

“When he imitated my celebration, I smiled at him and he smiled back so it was all great fun which is what Twenty20 cricket is all about,” he says.

“Make no mistake, Amir and I are excellent friends and he has been a great supporter for me and he has always shared his knowledge and experience with me,” adds Rumman.

“Well for one thing, I was happy that my style of celebration was so good and popular that others have also started to copy it.”

NO BETTER TEACHER THAN WASIM

It is not only his celebration that got him popularity, Rumman has skill which he has kept improving and the recently concluded PSL season witnessed it all.

In seven outings for the Islamabad outfit, the left-armer took 12 wickets and was the third highest wicket-taker in the colourful event.

It’s not all about the number of wickets for Rumman. The Karachi-born cricketer has the knack of keeping batsmen quiet and choking them for runs. An ability which made him end the PSL 2 with an impressive economy of 6.19.

The performance has got a lot to do with improvements in Rumman’s bowling action, which resulted in better line and length. This, however, did not come without guidance. And when your guide is none other than Wasim Akram, the outcome is top-notch.

“I think an important factor in my improved performance was the advice I received from Wasim Akram,” says Rumman.

“He advised me last year to fix issues with my bowling action but I would also like to give credit to my UBL coach, Umar Rashid who has worked tirelessly to help me in improving my bowling action.”

“If you look at my action from last year’s PSL, you will see a big difference. I used to have a high-arm action and my accuracy was all over the place. This year, I had much more control over line and length and that is purely due to a positive change in my bowling action.”

THE PAKISTAN SPOT

Rumman, who burst onto the cricketing scene in the inaugural PSL season, could not make it to the Pakistan side then.

The left-armer’s name, however, is there in the 31-player preliminary squad for the upcoming tour of West Indies — the training camp currently underway in Lahore.

This time Rumman’s hopes are high.

“I am as hopeful as ever,” he says

“I did make my international debut for Pakistan against the West Indies in Abu Dhabi in September last year so I am hoping that will count for something as well.”

Rumman has not yet shown promise to bowl with blistering pace — a Pakistan legacy. The bowler, however, knows that he needs to get better in that department too — and has been working on it.

“In the inaugural PSL season I was bowling at pace around 130 kph but this year I’ve raised the bar to 134-135,” he said while addressing media during the camp on Tuesday.

“I’m working harder to be able to bowl at 140-plus pace,” added Rumman.

Pakistan play West Indies in four T20s, three ODIs and three Test matches in a tour which kicks off March 26.

Rumman said he will, for the time being, focus on making it to the final squad for the shortest format.

“I’m currently focusing on the T20s,” he said.

https://arysports.tv/unique-celebrat...-rumman-raees/

[JibranAnsari]

I don't think he is international material but all the best to him.

[Flat_Track_Bully]

Really excited for his debut. Fluent bowling action and good variation. He has big game temperament too clearly. So cocky already. Good to see.

[Hamza_]

Really excited for his debut. Fluent bowling action and good variation. He has big game temperament too clearly. So cocky already. Good to see.

The pitch map at the end shows he has some control.

[Hasan123]

Should start the t20 games and I hope he feels finds a way in our odi side. Him and Hasan Ali at the death is a good combination.

[MenInG]

Really hoping he gets a chance in this series - given all the "giving chance to youngsters" mantra, I expect him to play atleast one game

[Hamza_]

Really hoping he gets a chance in this series - given all the "giving chance to youngsters" mantra, I expect him to play atleast one game

Rumman will surely play.

Sarfraz has also hinted about Shadab's debut.

[Abdullah719]

Rumman will surely play.

Sarfraz has also hinted about Shadab's debut.

I have no idea why Tanvir is still playing while Rumman and Shinwari are sitting on the bench.

[MenInG]

First time we see Rumman's unique celebration in Pakistan colours #WIvPAK #Cricket pic.twitter.com/im2NPo5jto

— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) April 2, 2017

[Saj]

Very impressive once again.

Yes got hit around a bitbut his overall figures weren't too bad.

Has great control and is a thoughtful bowler.

Give me this type of clever bowler in Limited overs cricket over the express bowlers who get clouted around the park most days.

[Saj]

This lad surely deserves a chance in the Pakistan One-Day team.

[Hamza_]

This lad surely deserves a chance in the Pakistan One-Day team.

@Saj This boy is unfortunate. He can bowl much better than Junaid, Is hard working and knows he needs to up his pace.

Hopefully gets selected for Champions Trophy.

[MenInG]

KARACHI: Pakistan have called up left-arm pacer Rumman Raees to replace injured Wahab Riaz, and the 25-year-old is ready to make the opportunity count when he joins the team in England for the Champions Trophy.

Wahab injured his right ankle while bowling against India in Pakistan’s campaign opener where he leaked a record number of runs — 84 in 8.1 overs — by any bowler in the tournament’s history.

Pakistan sent an official request to the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Technical Committee to allow them to replace the veteran left-armer and after approval from Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Shaharyar Khan, Raees was asked to join the team in England.

“It is a great opportunity for me to make my mark in the team,” Raees, who could make his debut if inducted into the final eleven against Sri Lanka, told The Express Tribune.

11 feel-good pictures from the India-Pakistan Champions Trophy clash

“I was only able to play one match against West Indies (the fourth T20I) but now I am looking to play more matches and perform,” added Raees who returned figures of 25-1 in his four overs against the Windies.

‘Pakistan will do better’

Pakistan suffered a 124-run defeat against India at Edgbaston and seemed completely out of sorts, but Raees is hopeful that Sarfraz’s men will do well in their upcoming matches.

“That’s what cricket is. Whoever plays better wins the match,” said Raees. “Indian team executed their plans well and they won but I think Pakistan will do better in the upcoming matches,” said Raees.

Meanwhile, when asked about dream wicket, Raees said he would love to bowl to South Africa captain AB de Villiers and Indian batsmen Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni.

Five talking points from Pakistan’s humiliation against India

“I always wanted to bowl to the top batsmen in the world which includes de Villiers, who is a dangerous batsman, Kohli and Dhoni, who are also two of the best batsmen of modern cricket,” he said.

However, the left-arm pacer will not get a chance to bowl to any of those batsmen just yet, since left-arm fast-bowler Junaid Khan will be playing against South Africa in place of Wahab.

https://tribune.com.pk/story/1428911...y-opportunity/

[ar2020]

Looks a bit overweight?

[zyrus]

Part timers like Fahim or Imad or Hafeez are not going to do this against quality attacks, genuine bowling is more important than having bits n pieces all-rounders. Either play Fahim as a batsman or dont play him at all, having a genuine medium/fast bowler's gonna be essential to complete 50 overs in further games.

[aliasad1998]

No we don't. 3 pacers, 1 pace bowling all rounder and 1 spin bowling all rounder is the way to go. If rumman comes in he replaces one of the 3 main quicks which he shouldn't do.

[zyrus]

No we don't. 3 pacers, 1 pace bowling all rounder and 1 spin bowling all rounder is the way to go. If rumman comes in he replaces one of the 3 main quicks which he shouldn't do.

And who's that pace bowling all rounder? Cant be Fahim.

[big_gamer007]

Your batting is pretty thin so you need fahim who can hit a few at the end can ruman bat?

[Hamza_]

Your batting is pretty thin so you need fahim who can hit a few at the end can ruman bat?

Amiresque batsman, Slightly better maybe.

Much better than JK

[big_gamer007]

Amiresque batsman, Slightly better maybe.

Much better than JK

That would make the batting thin, faheem atleast from the warm up seemed like a decent bat who can hit big ones..

You need Harris Sohail in middle order in his best form then your batting would have two main stats in bahar and Harris and with Malik in form it will be a pretty decent line up and you can play ruman..

But current line up is pretty weak and only Babar is a capable batsmen rest are all pretty ordinary apart from Malik in form..

[Abdul]

Rumman Raees receiving his ODI cap from Azhar Mahmood #CT17 #ENGvPAK pic.twitter.com/PEFUR9kQmv

— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) June 14, 2017

[The Yorker]

Ruman Raees a tremendous bowler. what a performance today.

[Macho Mann]

is first wicket at ODI not called maiden?