Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: Teen pacer Ali Raza created history in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), becoming the youngest player from Pakistan to claim a hat-trick. The 18-year-old achieved the milestone during Match 32 for Peshawar Zalmi against Karachi Kings at the Gaddafi Stadium on Wednesday.Raza’s sensational spell marked the first hat-trick of the season and also the first ever by a Peshawar Zalmi bowler in PSL history.
Showing remarkable composure under pressure, the youngster tore through Karachi’s lower order to finish with impressive figures of 4 for 41. His effort proved crucial in restricting Karachi to 182/9, despite a fighting 85 from Jason Roy.The landmark effort added Raza’s name to an elite list of PSL hat-trick achievers since the tournament’s inception in 2016. The list began with Mohammad Amir, who registered the league’s first hat-trick for Karachi Kings. Since then, players like Junaid Khan, Imran Tahir, the only spinner on the list, and Mohammad Sami have delivered memorable spells.More recent editions have seen match-defining efforts from Abbas Afridi and Akeal Hosein, but Raza’s feat stands out for its sheer precocity. At just 18, he has set a new benchmark for young bowlers in the competition.Interestingly, this isn’t the first time Karachi Kings have been on the receiving end this season. Earlier in PSL 2026, they suffered a record 159-run defeat, the largest margin in the league’s history, further highlighting their struggles.Raza’s breakthrough performance not only underlines his immense potential but also gives Peshawar Zalmi a major boost as the tournament heads into its decisive phase.
