“Everyone who comes in international cricket matches originally. You talk about criticism, it’s become a norm. Everyone is waiting for the Pakistan team to lose so they can talk about it. They have their opinions, but we try to build our team. We try to work out the young people that the seniors are there as well.

However, New Zealand hardly broke sweat in the hunt. While Rauf credited the way the hosts walked around their batting, he also felt that Pakistan bowlers were unlucky not to choose a few more wickets.

“All players have put the effort. The kind of reasons we have here we generally get high scoring games,” he said. “It’s not like we didn’t bowl well, we were unlucky too. There were a few top edges that went in six, some went over the ropes because of the wind and the little soil. We put the effort as a bowling unit, but we did not get the desired result. We were a little unlucky in the beginning.

“We tried to use the conditions to our advantage, but we were unlucky. The kind of cricket they played they hit good shots so we had to credit them.”

While Rauf had a decent day with the ball and pick 2 to 20 in his three overs, the rest of his fast bowling colleagues have fought. Shaheen Shah Afridi went in 31 from her three overs despite bowling a girl, while Mohammad Ali admitted 34 races from his two overs. Rauf agreed that there has been a decrease in Pakistan -Cricket, but is convinced that they are trying to build a team that will challenge top pages in the future.

“There is no doubt that our cricket has fallen. But we build like a team and try to create a combination and play cricket required at the top level,” Rauf said. “We try different things and when we try things, there will be mistakes, but we will learn. And there will be a day in the future where you will see good cricket from the Pakistan team.”