Dominic Cork: “Ali Raza is a real talent – look after him. Focus on core strength and stability. It’s not just about lifting heavy but managing it smartly. Nurture him. We’ve seen pacers like Ihsanullah shine and then struggle post-injury. Don’t repeat that”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Former England fast bowler Dominic Cork has urged Pakistan to look after 17-year-old pace sensation Ali Raza as he is “a real talent”.
Raza quickly became a household name after setting domestic cricket alight with his outstanding performances with the ball.
The teenager grew a reputation for being a wicket-taking threat – something he proved again and again in first-class cricket, List A cricket and T20s.
Most recently, Raza was in action for the Peshawar Zalmi in the 2025 Pakistan Super League (PSL) and picked up 12 wickets in nine matches at an average of 25.25 and an economy rate of 9.18.
Cork noted that it is important to look after Raza’s workload as he doesn’t want the youngster suffering the same fate as Pakistan speedster Ihsanullah, who looked set to become a superstar before suffering a devastating elbow injury that kept him sidelined for nearly a year.
“Ali Raza is a real talent – look after him. Focus on core strength and stability. It’s not just about lifting heavy but managing it smartly. Nurture him. We’ve seen pacers like Ihsanullah shine and then struggle post-injury. Don’t repeat that,” Cork was quoted as saying by A Sports.
After PSL 10, Pakistan took on Bangladesh in a three-match T20I series, but Raza was not part of the squad.
The men in green won the series 3-0.
Pakistan Squad for Bangladesh T20I Series: Salman Ali Agha (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Abbas Afridi, Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hassan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (wicketkeeper), Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan (wicketkeeper) and Saim Ayub
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