England left-arm quick Luke Wood has joined a long list of players to heap praise on Pakistan’s rising star Ali Raza, calling the 17-year-old’s maturity and temperament “remarkable” after a standout showing in this year’s Pakistan Super League (PSL).
In an exclusive interview with PakPassion, Luke Wood reflected on his time playing alongside the young pacer, who caught the world’s eye with his express pace and wicket-taking ability in clutch moments. Ali Raza, who was largely unknown at the start of the season, finished the tournament as one of the brightest young prospects to emerge from the domestic T20 competition.
“He had a fantastic PSL,” Luke Wood said. “He’s quite mature for his age. He’s only 17, which is remarkable. He consistently picked up wickets, and I think it speaks volumes that Babar Azam trusted him with the ball during such high-pressure moments.”
Despite initial struggles, which were to be expected, Ali Raza quickly established himself as one of the most dependable bowlers in PSL X. Although he was one of the youngest players in the league, he was regularly called upon in crunch overs and delivered impressive results with confident spells against some of the most renowned cricketers in the T20 circuit alongside Luke Wood.
His performances earned him plaudits from legends of the game, with many earmarking him as the future leader of Pakistan’s pace bowling attack.
Although he did not get the expected call-up to the Shaheens squad for their upcoming tours of England and Australia, Ali Raza has firmly established himself in the pool of players who are in constant consideration for national selection.
For now, the buzz around Ali Raza continues to grow. And if his PSL form is any indication, Pakistan may have unearthed another pace gem.