Young fast bowler says England captain praised his performance and urged him to keep working hard
Pakistan’s Razaullah delivered a notable performance in his Test debut against England. Photo: AFP
KARACHI:
Pakistan’s young pace-sensation Razaullah is taking his rapid rise in stride, drawing inspiration from England great Joe Root while keeping his sights firmly set on becoming a complete all-rounder.
“Keep working hard, keep trying and take care of your fitness,” Joe Root told Razaullah after Edgbaston Test in a meeting the teenager described as both a source of pride and motivation.
Speaking to Express News Cricket Corner from Birmingham Razaullah said Root had gone out of his way to meet him after the match, praised his performance and encouraged him to keep improving.
“To receive such appreciation from a world-class player was a very happy and motivating moment for me,” Razaullah said.
Razaullah, who made his dream Test debut against England, said his cricket journey began with his elder brother, who used to take him to the ground on a motorcycle.
He started playing hard-ball cricket in 2019, while also continuing to play tape-ball cricket. He attended Under-19 trials in 2022 but was not selected. Rather than give up, he returned for another attempt the following year.
“In 2023, I was selected for the district team and then got the opportunity to represent the region,” he said.
In 2025, he played for Peshawar as a guest player, scoring a century and a fifty. His performances in first-class cricket then helped him make further progress, including three five-wicket hauls.
“First-class cricket gave me a lot of confidence,” Razaullah said. “At the same time, I kept working on my batting alongside my bowling.”
He credited his parents, brothers, friends and coaches for supporting him throughout his career.
“My parents have always prayed for me. I am especially thankful to my brothers, friends and coaches who have stood by me throughout my life, encouraged me and never allowed me to lose hope.”
Razaullah said he did not want to limit himself to being a fast bowler and was determined to develop into a genuine all-rounder.
“I want to keep working hard in both batting and bowling and become a complete all-rounder,” he said.
The sudden attention and success, he added, felt almost like a dream, but he did not regard it as solely his own achievement.
“Everything happens by Allah’s will and grace. I want to remain thankful but continue working hard,” he said.
Razaullah said he enjoyed his cricket and regarded every match as a new learning experience.
“I try to learn something new from someone every day and improve my game by working on my weaknesses.”
Young bowler said the attention that comes with success was welcome, but his priority remained cricket.
“Fame has its place, but the main focus should remain on cricket. My journey has only just begun and I still have a lot to achieve.”
He said praise from current and former England players had been particularly encouraging and had motivated him to work harder.
“My wish is to use my abilities to the best of my potential while playing for Pakistan and help the national team win as many matches as possible,” he said.
“Playing for my country is the greatest honour for me, but it is also a responsibility. I will try to make the most of every opportunity I get and keep improving my performances.”
Razaullah said his call-up to the England tour came unexpectedly after he had spent almost two months at a training camp before joining the Champions Cup Gold team.
After returning home, he received a call from a Pakistan Cricket Board official late one night but missed it because he was asleep.
“I think it was around 12 or 2 in the morning. I missed the call because I was sleeping,” he said.
“When I woke up for Fajr prayer and was about to go to the mosque, I saw the missed calls on my phone. I was told to reach the National Cricket Academy in Lahore immediately, so I did.”
At that stage, he had no idea he was being considered for a Test against England.
“I thought perhaps I was being called to discuss preparations for the Asian Games. When I reached the academy, I was told that I was going to England to play Test cricket.”
He said he offered more prayers after receiving the news and began preparing himself for the challenge.
Even after arriving in England, he only learned that he would be included in the playing XI a day before the match. Captain Babar Azam and head coach Mike Hesson informed him, after which he focused entirely on preparing for the Test.
Razaullah also reiterated that his passport had been made a year earlier.
Taking the wicket of experienced England batsman Root was one of the most memorable moments of his young career, Razaullah said.
“I enjoyed that moment a lot. I will try to enjoy my cricket in the same way in the future.”
He finished with four wickets but conceded more runs than he would have liked.
“I did give away a few more runs than I should have, and I will try to improve that aspect. But I am not too disappointed because I gave 100 percent and will learn from this experience and try to perform better next time.”
Razaullah played down suggestions that his bowling speed had dropped sharply between the first and second days.
“There was not as much difference in my bowling speed between the first and second days as people felt,” he said.
His pace was around 144-145.
