Tag: Aaron Finch

Finch, Clarke stunned over Haris Rauf’s exclusion from Pakistan T20I squad

Former Australian captains Aaron Finch and Michael Clarke have expressed surprise over the exclusion of Pakistan pacer Haris Rauf from the squad for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.

Rauf was one of the standout performers in the recently concluded Big Bash League (BBL) season 15 for the Melbourne Stars, finishing as the highest wicket-taker with 20 wickets in 11 matches, averaging 16.75.

However, the right-arm speedster failed to make Pakistan’s T20 World Cup squad for the mega event, scheduled to be played in India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8.

During a recent discussion on a local sports platform, Finch admitted he was taken aback when he saw Rauf’s name missing from the squad, stressing that T20 cricket often comes down to match-winning “impact” players.

“Yeah, I thought… I was really surprised when I saw that he wasn’t in the squad. I thought he brings that X-factor,” Finch said.

The former Australia opener further explained that even if a bowler can be expensive at times, having someone who can take wickets in every phase of the innings is a massive asset in the shortest format.

“Yes, he can be costly at times, but when you’ve got a genuine wicket-taker in all three phases of the game, that is the most important thing for me in T20 cricket, finding a way to get wickets, particularly on some flat surfaces as well. So, yeah, I was really surprised by that,” he added.

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Meanwhile, Michael Clarke also admitted the decision was unexpected but suggested the omission likely reflects Pakistan’s selection approach, prioritising conditions and specific roles over performances in overseas domestic leagues.

“Surprised, but again, it’s another indication that playing in Australia is very different from playing in Sri Lanka and India,” Clarke said.

“You pick your squad for conditions, for the role you’re going to play in that team. So they obviously don’t see him playing a role like he did in the BBL.”

However, Clarke also pointed out that current form and momentum should still matter when finalising squads for ICC events.

“But I think form is important as well. When you’re picking a World Cup squad, you’d rather have players going into the tournament with some cricket and good form under their belt. So let’s see what happens,” he added.

Notably, Haris Rauf last played a T20I for Pakistan in the Asia Cup final against India on September 28, 2025, where he endured a tough outing, conceding 50 runs in 3.4 overs while defending a target of 146.

Since then, the pacer has remained out of the T20I setup, having been excluded from Pakistan’s squads for the away series against Sri Lanka, the upcoming home series against Australia, and now the T20 World Cup 2026 as well.

READ: Hesson reveals reason behind Haris Rauf’s T20 World Cup exclusion

Finch hails Pakistan players as ‘global superstars’ ahead of BBL

Former Australian captain Aaron Finch lavished praise on Pakistan cricketers set to play in the Big Bash League (BBL) 15, stating that they are ‘global superstars’ and crucial for

Finch called the Pakistan players vital to Australian cricket, noting that they are global superstars.

“They’re not just Pakistan players, they’re Pakistan superstars, they’re global superstars. That’s so important to our game because they’re such great players,” Finch said during a podcast.

“I think that that is so important that that knowledge is passed on and that’s why having internationals is so crucial in our game,” he continued.

Finch lavished praise on Babar Azam despite the latter’s dip in form over the last couple of years.

“You’ve got one of the best players that I’ve ever played against. I played against Babar in Pakistan, and it was almost impossible to get him out,” Finch recalled.

“I know he’s been a little bit more quiet in the last 18 months, but he’s a world-beater at his very best,” he explained.

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The 39-year-old also talked about wicket-keeper batter Mohammad Rizwan, who will be making his debut for the Melbourne Renegades.

“Mohammad Rizwan never shuts up behind the stumps, but seriously talented,” Finch said.

“I was talking to Jake Fraser-McGurk earlier at a shoot that we’re doing together, and I know we’re going to chat to him soon, but he was talking about what he’s learned off Rizwan already in the couple of days that he’s been here.”

“It’s incredible what it means, not for the players to be involved themselves, but for our players to learn as much as they can,” he concluded.

For the unversed, several Pakistani players will be in action in the BBL 15.

The tournament, running from December 14 to January 25, 2026, will feature 44 matches. Notably, most of the tournament’s fixtures will be played primarily in prime-time evening slots.

Alongside Babar and Shaheen, several other Pakistan internationals will feature this season: Mohammad Rizwan and Hassan Khan will line up for Melbourne Renegades, Haris Rauf has signed with Melbourne Stars, Shadab Khan with Sydney Thunder, and Hasan Ali with Adelaide Strikers.

READ: Kohli, Rohit set for demotion in BCCI central contracts: reports

Former Australian captain excited to see Babar, Smith batting together in BBL 15

Former Australia T20I captain Aaron Finch has shared his excitement over the prospect of watching Pakistan’s Babar Azam bat with Steve Smith during the upcoming Big Bash League (BBL) Season 15.

Earlier this month, the Sydney Sixers signed Babar as their direct overseas player for the full season of BBL 15 ahead of the players’ draft.

With Smith expected to be available for parts of the season, the possibility of the two batting together for the first time has cricket fans buzzing.

“How extraordinary,” said Finch while speaking on The Surge: Big Bash Podcast with host Adam White.

“Steve Smith, anytime he’s played in the Big Bash, he’s looked a class above everybody else.

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“Then you throw in probably the most beautiful batter in the world, Babar Azam… I’m sure they’re both looking forward to it as much as we are as fans.”

Aaron Finch believes that instances like these have the power to reignite a fiery sense of motivation, sparking renewed passion within even the most experienced players.

“Steve hasn’t played with Babar before anywhere around the world, so to get that opportunity, they’re the kind of things that keep you going when you’re getting towards the end of your career,” he added.

“I’m not saying for any moment that Steve Smith is towards the end, but as you get on, and you’ve ticked almost every single box, you get a lot of joy out of small things like that.”

READ: Former Indian pacer says Jasprit Bumrah is better than Wasim Akram

‘Greatest player of the decade’: Former Australia captain praises Babar Azam ahead of BBL debut

Former Australia captain Aaron Finch has hailed Pakistan’s top batter Babar Azam as one of ‘greatest players of the decade ahead of his much awaited Big Bash League (BBL) 15 debut.

Speaking during a recent interview, Finch acknowledged Babar’s stature in global cricket.

“There’s no bigger name than Babar Azam among Pakistani players in the BBL draft,” said Finch ahead of BBL 15 draft to be held on 19 June.

The T20 world cup winning captain hailed Babar Azam’s top performances around the world while highlighting his inclusion as a great thing to witness for Australia fans.

“He is the biggest name among all Pakistani cricketers. Babar is currently the best player in world cricket and arguably the greatest player of this decade. He has delivered top performances around the world, and it’s great for Australian fans to witness a superstar like him play in Australia,” Aaron Finch added.

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Apart from Babar, Aaron Finch also talked about ace pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi who recently clinched third title for Lahore Qalandars in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 10.

“Shaheen Shah Afridi is a match-winner and a top performer. Every team would want to have him. I’m excited to see top players competing in the Big Bash,” Finch remarked.

It is noteworthy to mention that, former Pakistan captain Babar Azam has become one of the highest-paid players in BBL history after signing with the Sydney Sixers for the upcoming season.

According to sources, the Sixers have pre-signed Babar in the Platinum category, but the agreement reportedly exceeds the standard base price of PKR 7.75 crore, with his deal valued close to PKR 10 crore.

Babar Azam will be available for the entire BBL 15 season, including the finals, offering the Sydney Sixers not just a big-name signing but a player with proven match-winning ability and composure under pressure.

For the unversed, a total of 74 Pakistani male cricketers and 11 female players have thrown their hats in the ring for the BBL and Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) drafts, scheduled on June 19.

Pakistan’s T20I captain Salman Ali Agha, Mohammad Haris, Abrar Ahmed, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan, Shadab Khan, Haris Rauf, Usama Mir, and Mohammad Hasnain are among the notable names to register for the BBL 15 Draft.

READ: Salman Ali Agha nominated for BBL draft as full list of overseas players revealed

Australia T20 captain Finch retires from international cricket

MELBOURNE: Australian men’s Twenty20 captain Aaron Finch retired from international cricket on Tuesday, ending his 12-year career as one of the most prolific run scorers in limited-overs formats.

A destructive opening batter at his peak, Finch’s position had been under a cloud since Australia failed to make the knockout stage of last year’s T20 World Cup at home.

It was not immediately clear who would replace the Victoria-born batter, who has captained the team in 76 of the 103 T20s he has played since debuting against England in 2011.

“Realising that I won’t be playing on until the next T20 World Cup in 2024, now is the right moment to step down and give the team time to plan and build towards that event,” he told reporters at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

“To be able to represent Australia for 12 years and play with and against some of the greatest players of all time has been an incredible honour.”

The 36-year-old was in 2018 crowned the best T20 batter in the game, and captained Australia to their maiden T20 World Cup victory in Dubai in 2021.

Only five players have scored more runs than Finch in T20 internationals.

Finch retired as Australia’s one-day skipper last September, replaced by 29-year-old fast bowler Pat Cummins.

Cummins also leads Australia’s Test squad, but selectors may be reluctant to add the T20 captaincy to his workload.

Finch said winning the T20 World Cup and the ODI World Cup in 2015 were the two cricket memories he would “cherish the most”.

He holds the record for the highest score in a T20 international — 172 runs off 76 balls against Zimbabwe in 2018.

He also hit the third-highest T20 international score — 156 against England in 2013.

 An Australian ‘great’

Cricket Australia chairman Lachlan Henderson said Finch was one of Australia’s “finest white-ball players”.

“While he was a tough competitor on the field, Aaron always played the game with a smile on his face and in the right spirit,” Henderson said.

“As one of only four men’s players to captain Australia to a World Cup victory, Aaron will always have a special place in Australian cricket’s history.”

Finch’s Melbourne Renegades club called him a “great of Australian cricket”.

Although prolific in limited-overs formats — he scored 5,406 ODI runs and 3,120 in T20 internationals — Finch failed to make an impact in Tests.

He played five Tests for Australia in 2018 but was dropped after failing to impress selectors.

Finch is expected to continue playing T20 cricket in Australia’s domestic league.

READ: Karachi Kings to kick off PSL preparations on Feb 9

Aaron Finch among renowned names register for PSL 8 Draft

LAHORE: Australia’s T20I captain Aaron Finch included in the renowned overseas cricketers who signed up for the upcoming Pakistan Super League (PSL) season 8 Player Draft.

Finch, who led Australia to their maiden T20 World Cup title in 2021, will feature in the player draft of the upcoming PSL 8.

The right-handed batter has a vast T20 experience as he played a mammoth 367 matches and scored 10,964 runs including eight centuries and a high score of 172.

As per the footage, released by the PSL, England’s Reece Topley, Tom Curran and Adil Rashid, South Africa’s Wayne Parnell, Lungi Ngidi and Rassie Van Der Dussen, Sri Lanka’s Dasun Shanaka and Wanindu Hasaranga, West Indies’ Nicholas Pooran and Evin Lewis and New Zealand’s Jimmy Neesham are also among the players who have registered for the draft.

Earlier, Afghanistan’s Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Mujeeb-ur-Rahman, Bangladesh’s Shakib-al-Hasan, England’s Alex Hales, Dawid Malan and Jason Roy, New Zealand’s Martin Guptill, Netherlands’ Colin Ackermann, South Africa’s Rilee Rossouw and David Miller, Zimbabwe’s Sikandar Raza have already been confirmed by the PCB for the draft.

It must be noted that the draft is likely to take place in the third week of November.

READ: Indian fans sell tickets of T20 WC Final as their team crash out in semis 

‘Can’t wait to retire and watch Pakistan-India match live,’ says Aaron Finch

MELBOURNE: Australia’s T20I captain Aaron Finch commented on his obsession with the biggest cricket rivalry and is eager to retire and watch the Pakistan-India match live.

Finch, in an interview with journalist Melinda Farrell on her YouTube channel, revealed he watched the much-anticipated Pakistan-India match in his hotel room and is a big fan of the rivalry between the two Asian sides.

“Regardless of what the result is…I think the India-Pakistan game was amazing. I was actually sitting at home, nervous! I was nervous in the build-up watching that because I know how big a clash it is and I can’t wait for the day that I can retire and go and watch an India-Pakistan game live somewhere,” said Finch.

“I was sitting on the couch in my hotel room and I was nervous in the build-up, it’s quite strange, yeah,” he added.

The Australian captain then heaped praises on Virat Kohli, whose unbeaten 82-run knock powered India to a stunning final-over thriller victory over Pakistan and stated it was simply just the latter’s masterclass and the amount of pressure his presence exerts on the opposition.

“What it was…was a Virat Kohli masterclass! You always felt even though…with three overs to go that if you’re still there…you know the amount of pressure that he puts on the opposition just by being there and yeah it was just great viewing,” he concluded.

It is pertinent to mention that Australia have lost their opening game against New Zealand on October 22 before beating Sri Lanka on Tuesday. The hosts are yet to face England today, however, the persistent rain and wet outfield resulted in delaying the action.

England, on the other hand, suffered a frustrating upset defeat at the hands of Ireland on Thursday and therefore, will be looking to bounce back.

READ: AFG v IRE: Match called off due to uninterrupted rain

Australia’s captain Finch calls time on his ODI career

CAIRNS: Australia’s white-ball captain Aaron Finch has announced his retirement from the One-Day Cricket following the conclusion of the ongoing series against New Zealand, on Sunday.

Finch, who made his ODI debut for Australia in 2013, has decided to hang his boots from the 50-over cricket after the third match of the ongoing series against New Zealand. The right-handed batter, however, will continue to lead Australia in T20Is.

“It has been a fantastic ride with some incredible memories,” Finch said. “I have been extremely fortunate to be a part of some brilliant one-day sides. Equally, I have been blessed by all those I have played with and the many people behind the scenes.

“It is time now to give a new leader the best possible opportunity to prepare for and win the next World Cup. I thank all of those who have helped and supported my journey to this point.”

The right-handed batter went through a rough patch in ODI cricket this year, making just 169 runs at 13, including five ducks in his last 12 outings.

Finch, who initially had set his sights on playing the 2023 ODI World Cup in India, however, revealed on Sunday that he had begun to consider the decision of retirement before the Zimbabwe series in Townsville and realised that the ODI World Cup was out of his reach.

It is pertinent to mention here that Finch represented Australia in 145 matches and amassed 5,401 runs at an average of 39.13 including 17 centuries and 30 fifties.

READ: ‘We’ll surely make changes for the final’ confirms Saqlain

‘Might be a full stop’ Finch hints at T20I retirement post 2022 World Cup

MELBOURNE: Australia’s white-ball captain Aaron Finch, who led the Kangaroos to claim their maiden T20 World Cup title in the previous edition, has hinted at his retirement after the conclusion of the next edition, scheduled in Australia.

Finch, while speaking to cricket.com.au amid the 100-day countdown celebration here, expressed his desire for a fairytale end to his T20I career and the forthcoming tournament by lifting the title in front of the home crowd.

The 35-year-old captain Finch also reflected on the careers of his ageing teammates, while hinting that the forthcoming tournament could prove his last.

“It might be a full stop on everything if it goes to plan like that. Fairy tales can happen in sports. I think, just naturally, when guys get to their mid-30s, it’s going to be that way,” Finch stated.

“Davey [Warner] just keeps going; he could play for another 10 years, I think, with how fit he is and how much he loves the competition and continuing to challenge himself,” he maintained.

The right-handed batter then went on to opine regarding the competitive nature of the format and claimed that a bit of luck is essential while hinting at the famous drop catch of Matthew Wade by Hasan Ali.

“It’s going to be an incredibly tough competition. We saw how brutal the format is with South Africa winning four out of their five games at the last World Cup and still not qualifying on net run rate. It’s just so brutal that you do need a bit of luck along the way. So let’s see,” he concluded.

It is pertinent to mention here Australia thumped New Zealand in the final by eight wickets to lift their maiden T20 World Cup title. The side also clinched an astounding victory over the unbeaten Pakistan side in the semifinal after Wade’s heroics.

READ: ‘India will surely one of the favourites to win T20 World Cup’ Shahid Afridi 

‘Great cricket supporters’ Finch lauds Sri Lankan fans for their support

COLOMBO: Australia’s white-ball captain Aaron Finch thanked the Sri Lankan fans for their support and expressed his gratitude for touring the crisis-hit country in challenging times.

The Sri Lankan fans showed up in large numbers for the last match of the white-ball series between the two teams wearing yellow and gold to support the touring side, who won the fifth ODI to wrap up their white-ball tour. But the hosts prevailed 3-2 to win the series.

The Aussie players then also received a round of applause and standing ovation from the Sri Lankan fans after the conclusion of the fifth ODI. The Australian captain Finch, left amused by the electric environment and lauded the Sri Lankan fans for their support.

“We’re very grateful that we’ve been able to tour here. We know the difficulties that Sri Lanka has faced in recent times,” said Finch.

“Hopefully over these eight white-ball games we’ve been able to provide some joy to people in the country,” he maintained.

The skipper then went on to heap praises on the Sri Lankan fans and termed them, wonderful people and great supporters of cricket.

“It was outstanding, the Sri Lankan people are wonderful people,” Finch added. “The support that they provide is second to none. They are great cricket supporters, it’s not just constant noise, they ride the emotions of the game.

“When Sri Lanka are up and about, that’s as loud as anywhere you’ll visit in the world,” he concluded.

In a video shared by cricket.com.au, Australia all-rounder Glenn Maxwell, on the other hand, termed the moment as a pretty extraordinary feeling and revealed that he told his teammates that it was one of the most special feeling being able to walk around the ground and have a foreign country cheer for you.

 

“A lot of times when Australia tours we are generally the enemy and [there are] not too many Australian fans in the stands. But to have the support and fans that are here at the moment is truly extraordinary,” Maxwell stated.

“Everyone’s wearing yellow. They’ve got all the Australian flags all over the place. It’s extremely special and it’s a credit to everyone that’s been able to get out here. It’s been such a tough time obviously for the locals. For them to come out and support us, hopefully, both teams can entertain them and they’ve had a really good time during the one-day series,” he concluded.

READ: West Indian openers remain firm after bowlers sink Bangladesh on 234