Ali Raza: “I watch bowlers like Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Mohammad Asif, Rana Naved and Mohammad Sami”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Rising star Ali Raza said he studies bowlers such as Pakistan’s pace quintet of Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Mohammad Asif, Rana Naved-ul-Hasan and Mohammad Sami.
Raza, the latest pace sensation to emerge from Pakistan, has been in prolific wicket-taking form in recent months. At the ICC Under-19 World Cup, the 18-year-old finished as the joint third-highest wicket-taker, claiming 13 wickets in five matches for Pakistan Under-19 at an average of 13.92.
He carried that momentum into the 2026 Pakistan Super League (PSL), picking up 10 wickets in five matches for Peshawar Zalmi at an average of 16.80 and an economy rate of 9.78.
“I watch bowlers like Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Mohammad Asif, Rana Naved and Mohammad Sami,” Raza was quoted as saying by A Sports.
The Pakistan team will now take on Bangladesh in a two-Test series in Mirpur and Sylhet from May 8 to 20, but Raza was not included in the squad.
Pakistan Squad for Bangladesh Test Series: Shan Masood (captain), Abdullah Fazal, Amad Butt, Azan Awais, Babar Azam, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Ghazi Ghori (wicketkeeper), Noman Ali, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Shah Afridi