Pakistan fast bowler Ali Raza has become the subject of a social-media debate after featuring in his fifth Under-19 tournament in four years. The 18-year-old has been a regular part of Pakistan's age-group setup, with his repeated appearances raising questions about his age.
Ali Raza's age questioned
According to the PCB and ICC, Raza was born on March 18, 2008, making him 18 years old in November 2026. His official date of birth has been listed consistently across the two cricketing bodies. While no age fraud case exits,s netizens have questioned his age.
Raza has featured in the PSL and in Pakistan's senior domestic cricket and is also on the radar of the men's senior team. The 18-year-old bowls at sharp pace and his appearance has rasied questions whether he belongs at this level.
Raza first grabbed attention during the 2024 ICC U19 World Cup in South Africa, where he picked up nine wickets in three matches. His best performance came against Australia in the semi-final, where he claimed 4/34 and nearly helped Pakistan reach the final.
His five major U19 tournament appearances include the 2024 U19 World Cup, the 2024 and 2025 U19 Asia Cups, the 2026 U19 World Cup and the ongoing 2026 U19 Asia Cup. Raza has also faced India on several occasions in youth cricket. In the 2024 U19 Asia Cup, he dismissed Vaibhav Sooryavanshi for just one run as Pakistan beat their arch-rivals by 43 runs.
