Cork Lauds Raza’s Promising Bowling Prowess

Dominic Cork, the former English cricketer, has identified Ali Raza, Pakistan’s emerging fast bowler, as a potential future star. He commended the young player’s ability to progress and represent the national team on a global scale.

Cork voiced his strong appreciation for Raza’s bowling capabilities, expressing his conviction that the young bowler possesses the necessary skills to spearhead Pakistan’s bowling division in the years ahead.

“This competition is designed for the PCB to nurture young talent for Pakistan’s cricket future. I am confident that Ali Raza has the potential to be Pakistan’s opening bowler, such is the extent of my belief in his abilities,” Cork stated.

Ali Raza is presently demonstrating his skills for Peshawar Zalmi in the current Pakistan Super League (PSL) Season 10 and has been in excellent form.

The 17-year-old has taken nine wickets in seven games, maintaining an average of 24.11 and an economy rate of 8.03.

His notable showings have positioned him as a possible choice for Pakistan’s team for the forthcoming five-match T20I series against New Zealand, which is slated to commence later this month.

Sources indicate that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has shortlisted five players for the series, comprising four seasoned players and one emerging talent. The players being considered are Sahibzada Farhan, Hussain Talat, Hasan Ali, Faheem Ashraf, and Ali Raza.

In a separate development, the PCB has formally announced that Bangladesh will tour Pakistan in May for a series of five T20 International matches.

Originally included in the Future Tours Programme (FTP) as a series of three ODIs and three T20Is, the schedule has been altered to exclusively feature T20Is.

The series will be played at two locations, Faisalabad and Lahore, from May 25 to June 3. Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad, the recent venue for the Champions One-Day Cup and National T20 Cup, will host the first two matches on May 25 and 27.

The final three matches will be conducted at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on May 30, June 1, and June 3. All games are scheduled to begin at 8:00 PM local time.

Pakistan has a commanding head-to-head record against Bangladesh in T20Is, with 16 victories out of 19 matches. Bangladesh has only won three times.

Pakistan-Bangladesh T20I series schedule:
  • May 25: 1st T20I, Faisalabad
  • May 27: 2nd T20I, Faisalabad
  • May 30: 3rd T20I, Lahore
  • June 1: 4th T20I, Lahore
  • June 3: 5th T20I, Lahore