Mohammad Zahid: “Ali Raza has the potential to increase his pace by another 10-15 kph. If he bowls that fast and he is improving 10 or 15 kph, then I want to see how these modern-day batters will handle Ali Raza bowling 155 kph”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Former Pakistan speedster Mohammad Zahid reckons pace bowler Ali Raza can bowl 10-15 kph faster and reach speeds of 155 kph.
He noted that if Raza is able to do this, “he will be too hot to handle” as the opposition batsmen will struggle to play him.
The 18-year-old is considered a pace sensation and many feel it is only a matter of time before he is donning the Pakistan jersey and playing international cricket.
“This is my personal assessment that Ali Raza has the potential to increase his pace by another 10-15 kph. If he bowls that fast and he is improving 10 or 15 kph, then I want to see how these modern-day batters will handle Ali Raza bowling 155 kph. I think he will be too hot to handle,” Zahid told PakPassion as quoted by A Sports.
Raza is currently representing the Pakistan Under-19 team in the Asian Cricket Council Under-19s Asia Cup and has picked up five wickets in two games at an average of 15.
The Pakistan national team are in the midst of a two-Test series against Sri Lanka, which began on November 9 in Rawalpindi.
Pakistan Squad for the Test series against Sri Lanka: Babar Azam (captain), Aamer Jamal, Ali Shabbir, Arafat Minhas, Azan Awais, Mohammad Abbas, Ghazi Ghori (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Suleman, Mohammad Taha, Tayyab Arif, Razaullah, Saad Baig (wicketkeeper), Salman Ali Agha, Sameer Minhas, Saqib Khan and Saud Shakeel