Mohammad Haris’ journey in T20 internationals has been nothing short of remarkable, marked most recently by his blistering century against Bangladesh in the third and final T20I of the series on June 1 in Lahore. His 45-ball ton cemented his place among Pakistan’s most explosive batters and showcased his continued growth on the international stage.
Just 72 days earlier, teammate Hasan Nawaz had smashed a 44-ball century against New Zealand at Eden Park, setting the record for Pakistan’s fastest T20I hundred. Haris followed closely behind with the second-fastest, reflecting a new wave of aggressive, high-impact batting in the national side.
Together, Haris and Hasan opened the innings in the New Zealand series and set a new Powerplay record for Pakistan, scoring 74 runs in just 5.5 overs—eclipsing the previous high of 73 against England from 2016. Their contributions were vital in Pakistan’s clean sweep over Bangladesh, where the pair racked up 300 runs from just 150 balls while batting in the top four.
Numbers That Speak Volumes
Haris has now scored 370 runs in 17 T20Is at a strike rate of 152, including 33 fours and 21 sixes. In the recent Bangladesh series alone, he racked up 179 runs at a stunning strike rate of 201, claiming the Player of the Series award. His prowess behind the stumps is also notable, with 16 dismissals in 11 of his 23 white-ball appearances for Pakistan, including five in the latest series.
The Breakthrough
Haris burst onto the T20I scene in September 2022 with a confident six off England’s Richard Gleeson in Lahore. Fittingly, he returned to the same ground nearly three years later to notch up his maiden international century. His breakout moment came earlier in the ICC T20 World Cup 2022, when he replaced Fakhar Zaman and took the game to South Africa with a quickfire 28 off just 11 balls, which included three sixes and two fours against Kagiso Rabada.
His performances in that tournament—followed by contributions of 31 and 30 against Bangladesh and New Zealand—hinted at a bright future. Haris has since played 117 T20s overall, amassing 2,860 runs at a strike rate of 147.65, with one century and 15 fifties.
Domestic Dominance and Return to Form
After a year-long absence from the T20I setup, Haris made a strong case for selection with a standout domestic season. He led Allied Bank Stallions to the Champions T20 Cup title, scoring 269 runs at a strike rate of 151, including three fifties. In HBL PSL X, he contributed 247 runs for Peshawar Zalmi at a strike rate of 148, highlighted by a top score of 87. Across these two tournaments, Haris hit 53 fours and 21 sixes, averaging a boundary every 4.5 balls.
His explosive return to international cricket culminated in a historic milestone: becoming the first non-opener and fifth Pakistan batter to score a T20I century.
A Fixture in Pakistan’s Developmental Pipeline
Beyond the senior team, Haris has been a consistent presence in the Pakistan Shaheens setup. He captained the side in various tours, including the white-ball legs in Darwin (July 2024), Bangladesh ‘A’ (August 2024), and Sri Lanka ‘A’ (November 2024). He also featured in the ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup campaigns in 2023 and 2024.
Mohammad Haris’ aggressive intent, leadership promise, and consistency across formats signal that Pakistan may have found a long-term match-winner in the making.
