ISLAMABAD: Seventeen-year-old fast bowler Ali Raza delivered a sensational spell for Peshawar Zalmi in the PSL 10 on Saturday, triggering a dramatic collapse of Multan Sultans’ middle-order in a breakthrough display.
After Peshawar had set a commanding target for bottom-placed Multan to chase, the Sultans made a promising start despite the early loss of skipper Mohammad Rizwan, with Shai Hope and Usman Khan settling in nicely.
At 70-2 in the eighth over, chasing 228, Raza was brought into the attack.
He made an immediate impact, removing Kamran Ghulam with a short delivery that cramped the Pakistan international for room.
Alzarri Joseph took a comfortable catch at long-on, prompting jubilant celebrations from the teenager. Raza then struck twice at the beginning of his next over.
First, he dismissed Michael Bracewell with the opening ball of the over — a short delivery that Bracewell attempted to hit straight back over the bowler’s head, only to offer a return catch.
Raza reacted swiftly, shifting to his right and taking a sharp catch at head height despite still being off balance. His joy was unmistakable, leaping into the air in delight.
Ali Raza’s spell
Off the very next ball, Raza was at it again, clean bowling Ashton Turner with a delivery that jagged back in off the seam from a similar short length.
Turner looked to drive but was beaten through the gate, his stumps shattered.
Raza was suddenly on a hat-trick, with Iftikhar Ahmed the new man in. The hat-trick ball was negotiated safely, Iftikhar pushing it into the covers.
Just three runs were conceded off the remainder of that over, and a single off the first ball of Raza’s next brought Iftikhar back on strike.
Once more hitting the deck hard, Raza tempted Iftikhar into a big shot. Though he picked up the length and aimed for the leg side, he failed to middle it, finding Abdul Samad on the boundary.
Raza wrapped up his spell with outstanding figures of 4 for 21, as Peshawar Zalmi secured a thumping 120-run victory, bowling Multan Sultans out for just 107.
Who is Ali Raza?
Raza is a 17-year-old right-arm pacer who made his PSL debut this season and is already capable of bowling at speeds close to 90 mph.
He represented Pakistan at the 2024 Under-19 World Cup as a 15-year-old, claiming nine wickets in three games, including a near match-winning effort of 4 for 34 in the semi-final against Australia.
In first-class cricket, Raza has already picked up 32 wickets from just six matches at an average of 20.50. In List A cricket, he has 17 wickets from 11 games to his name.
