Mohammad Hafeez: “Ali Raza is a great youngster to watch out for”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Former Pakistan all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez sees a lot of potential in teenage Pakistan pace bowler Ali Raza, saying he is “a great youngster to watch out for”.
Raza, who is just 16 years old, has been lighting up domestic cricket with his outstanding performances.
During the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, he took 13 wickets in two matches for Sialkot Region at an average of 18.07.
He was exceptional in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy final against Peshawar Region as he picked up 10 wickets in the match, including a career-best 7-48 in the 2nd innings.
Thanks to his fabulous bowling, Sialkot Region were crowned champions as they defeated Peshawar Region by one wicket.
Raza is now featuring for the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) in the President’s Trophy Grade-I tournament and has maintained his superb form, claiming 17 wickets in four matches, which includes a five-wicket haul, at an average of 21.29.
Having seen the havoc the teenager is wreaking in domestic cricket, Hafeez confirmed that he is a special talent.
“Ali Raza is a great youngster to watch out for,” he was quoted as saying on X, formerly known as Twitter.
The Pakistan team recently toured South Africa and lost the T20I series 2-0 before bouncing back to secure a 3-0 victory in the ODIs.
As for the two-Test series, they were whitewashed 2-0.
The men in green then returned home and took on the West Indies in a two-Test series in Multan, which finished as a 1-1 draw.
Pakistan are now playing an ODI tri-series against New Zealand and South Africa, after which they will feature in the 2025 Champions Trophy, which will take place from February 19 to March 9.
Pakistan Squad for 2025 Champions Trophy: Mohammad Rizwan (captain and wicketkeeper), Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Tayyab Tahir, Faheem Ashraf, Khushdil Shah, Salman Ali Agha, Usman Khan, Abrar Ahmed, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Hasnain, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah