Ali Raza (Cricketer) Height, Age, Biography & More

Some Lesser Known Facts About Ali Raza

• Ali Raza developed a passion for cricket playing in school tournaments.

• Growing up, he would finance his trips to the neighbouring areas where tournaments were being held, looking for an opportunity to play. However, the participating teams would not give him a chance.

• Finally, he got a chance to showcase his talent at a local tape-ball tournament.

• Ali transitioned to hard-ball cricket when a former first-class cricketer admitted him to Naveed Ul Hassan International Cricket Academy in Sheikhpura.

• At the age of 12, Ali Raza attracted the talent scouts bowling in torn shoes at the Rana Naveed Ul Hassan International Cricket Academy (RNCA) in Sheikhpura.
  

  Ali Raza (middle) at Rana Naveed Ul Hassan International Cricket Academy (RNCA)

• It was Muhammad Masroor, Pakistan U-19 assistant batting coach, who recognized Raza’s talent and selected him for a home series against Bangladesh in November 2022. Talking about the same in an interview, Masroor said,
  

  We were playing a three-day game at the Rana Naved Cricket Academy. In the morning, I saw a young boy wipe and clean the nets with the broom, and bowl for two hours on the trot. During lunch, he rested for an hour and started bowling again. He is that lambi race ka ghoda (in for a long haul). He knows how to bowl long spells that you don’t see in the current pacers. He is not a T20 bowler.”

• He was introduced to age-group cricket after he caught the attention of coaches at a U16 camp at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore.

• He played for the Central Punjab Blues U 16 team in the National U16 Cup 2021/22.

• He played for Central Punjab Blues U19 team in the National U19 Championship 2022-23.

• In 2023, he was named to Pakistan’s squad for the 2024 Under-19 Cricket World Cup.

• 15-year-old Ali Raza rose to popularity with his impressive performance in the U-19 World Cup.

• On 8 February 2024, during the semi-final against Australia, Raza took 4 wickets for 34 runs. Although Pakistan lost the match by 1 wicket, Ali Raza’s performance won hearts.
  

  Ali Raza during the 2024 Under-19 Cricket World Cup

• Renowned commentator Ian Bishop referred to Raza as a “superstar” for his extraordinary performance.

• He hates going to the gym and loves bowling in the nets.

• He represented the Rawalpindi Raiders in the 2022 Pakistan Junior League (PJL).

• Ali bagged 17 wickets in four games at 13.24 for Sialkot U19 in the National U19 Championship 2023-24.

• In 2023, he was named to the Pakistan U19 squad for the One-Day series against Sri Lanka U19.