149.1 km/h thunder: 18-year-old Ali Raza becomes youngest Pakistani to claim T20 hat-trick

An 18-year-old with raw pace and serious composure just delivered one of the moments of the PSL season.

Ali Raza, playing for Peshawar Zalmi, produced a stunning hat-trick in the final over against Karachi Kings at the Gaddafi Stadium, becoming the youngest Pakistani bowler to achieve the feat in T20 cricket. At just 18 years and 35 days, he has already written his name into the record books.

What made it even more special was the timing. This was not a quiet spell in the middle overs. This was the final over, with the game still hanging in the balance and pressure at its peak.

The over itself had a bit of everything. There was a run-out off a wide delivery, adding to the chaos, but Raza stayed calm and focused.

Then came the defining three balls.

Khushdil Shah was the first to fall, hitting his own stumps while trying to dig out a sharp yorker. Shahid Aziz followed immediately after, beaten by another pinpoint delivery that crashed into the stumps.

With the hat-trick on the line, Raza went even quicker. A full ball at 149.1 km/h proved too good for Hasan Ali, who was bowled clean. Three wickets in three balls. Game turned on its head.

Raza finished with figures of 4 for 41 and had already made an impact earlier by dismissing David Warner.

Karachi Kings were restricted to 182 for 9, and that late collapse shifted all the momentum.

Peshawar Zalmi chased down 183 with seven wickets and seven balls to spare. The chase had a calm start before turning into a one-sided show, thanks to a dominant unbeaten century stand between Kusal Mendis and Farhan Yousaf.

Zalmi never looked under pressure once that partnership settled in.

Raza also became the first Zalmi bowler to take a PSL hat-trick and only the seventh overall in the league’s history.

For a teenager to step up like that, under lights and pressure, says a lot. This felt like the arrival of a serious talent.