Haris Rauf's kite-flying video sparks online storm after T20 World Cup snub; ‘Bhai ko patang ka world cup khilao’

After losing out on a spot in the Pakistan's T20 World Cup 2026 squad, fast bowler Haris Rauf faced severe online criticism after a video of him flying kite with his friends went viral on social media. One of the main pillars in Pakistan's bowling line-up, Rauf's exclusion left many surprised.

In the video, Rauf was accompanied by another national team fast bowler Hasan Ali, as the duo along with some of their friends enjoyed a relaxed moment flying kites. They celebrated after theirs cut down another in the night sky. The video quickly drew reactions with fans trolling Rauf heavily.

While many questioned Rauf's T20 World Cup 2026 snub, some even pointed out the timing of flying kites. Normally, kite-flying takes places during daytime, but Rauf & Co's kite-flying session in the dark left many confused. “Raat ko patang,” said one user.

One user even trolled Rauf by stating, “Bhai ko patang ka world cup khilao (Make him play kite-flying World Cup).” “Good to see them embracing their history and culture .. I dream of a future where India and Pakistan peacefully coexist .. we have too much shared history and tragedy not to,” another said.

Earlier last year, Rauf made headlines for his controversial gesture during one of Pakistan's clashes against India in the aftermath of the border tensions between the two nations prior to that tournament.

Why was Haris Rauf not selected in T20 World Cup 2026?

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced a 15-member squad that included stars like Babar Azam but the Men in Green left out Rauf and Mohammad Rizwan. During the selection, Pakistan head coach was asked about Rauf's omission and the New Zealander stated that the fast bowler didn't fit in their plans.

“We considered Haris Rauf, Wasim Jr, and Ahmed Daniyal, but they couldn’t make it because the other three – Shaheen (Afridi), Salman (Mirza), and Naseem (Shah) – can bowl in all three phases of the game,” Hesson said. What caught more attention was Rauf's omission despite finishing on top of wicket-taking charts in the recently-concluded Big Bash League.

Playing for Melbourne Strikers, Rauf finished with 20 wickets in 11 matches. The last time Rauf played a t20I for Pakistan was during the Asia Cup 2025 final against India which the Men in Green lost.