Babar Azam: “He (Ali Raza) is a special talent and capable of playing at the international level. But he needs time, and with gradual development, he will be ready for international cricket”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pakistan batsman Babar Azam has called fast bowler Ali Raza a “special talent”, but conceded that the teenager needs more time before he is ready to play international cricket.
Raza has become the talk of the town in Pakistan as he bowls 146 kph and has developed a reputation as a wicket-taker.
During the 2025 Pakistan Super League (PSL), the 17-year-old claimed 12 wickets in nine matches at an average of 25.25 and an economy rate of 9.18.
Despite doing well in PSL 10, Azam feels Raza still needs to develop his game, but is convinced the talented speedster has a future at the international level.
“He (Ali Raza) is a special talent and capable of playing at the international level. But he needs time, and with gradual development, he will be ready for international cricket,” the 30-year-old, who captained the Zalmi, said on the Zalmi TV podcast as quoted by A Sports.
After the PSL, Raza and Azam did not feature in Pakistan’s three-match T20I series against Bangladesh in Lahore.
They also weren’t picked for the tour of Bangladesh, where the men in green lost the T20I series 2-1.
Pakistan then toured the West Indies for three T20Is and three ODIs, but Azam was only selected for the ODI leg while Raza missed out altogether.
In the ODI series, Azam finished with 56 runs in three matches at an average of 18.66.
Once the West Indies tour concluded, the men in green went up against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Afghanistan in a T20I tri-series in Sharjah, which they won.
Pakistan are now playing in the 2025 Asia Cup, which is being held in the UAE.
They started off with a 93-run win over Oman before suffering a seven-wicket loss at the hands of India.
Next up for Pakistan will be a clash against the UAE on September 17 in Dubai.
Pakistan squad for UAE T20I tri-series and 2025 Asia Cup: Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem