For years, Pakistan cricket has searched for the next great red-ball pace attack—one capable of winning Test matches abroad, not just competing at home. While the country has always produced natural fast bowlers, what Pakistan has often lacked is proper long-term management of those talents.
Now, however, there is genuine reason for optimism.
A new crop of young fast bowlers is emerging, and what stands out most is not just their pace, but their physical attributes, skillsets, and suitability for modern Test cricket. Height, bounce, seam movement, sustained pace, and the ability to hit the deck hard—these are exactly the qualities needed to succeed in Australia, South Africa, England, and New Zealand.
Pakistan may finally have the red-ball bowling prospects to build a world-class attack for the next decade.
Ali Raza – The Complete Modern Fast Bowler
At 6’2”, Ali Raza already looks like a serious red-ball prospect. He can consistently clock in the high 140s and, more importantly, maintain that pace throughout long spells and across the course of a match.
That ability is what separates genuine Test-match fast bowlers from short-format quicks.
Ali is a proper hit-the-deck bowler who uses his height well, extracting steep bounce and making life uncomfortable for batters even on flatter surfaces. He has the physical tools and endurance required for overseas Test cricket, where relentless pace and hostile lengths matter most.
He looks like the type of bowler who can become a strike weapon in all conditions.
Razaullah – Height, Bounce, and Natural Seam Movement
If Ali Raza is impressive physically, Razaullah is even taller.
Bowling in the 140k range, he combines serious pace with the ability to seam the ball both ways—a highly valuable trait in red-ball cricket. His extra height allows him to generate naturally awkward bounce, and like Ali, he thrives as a hit-the-deck bowler.
Tall fast bowlers who can move the ball off the seam are rare assets, especially for overseas conditions where disciplined hard lengths become match-winning weapons.
Razaullah has the profile of a bowler who could be particularly dangerous in Australia and South Africa.
Abdul Subhan – Skillset for All Conditions
Abdul Subhan may be one of the most complete prospects of the group.
Standing at 6’5”, he brings serious physical presence and can touch the early 140s, while usually operating in the early-to-mid 130s as his average pace. What makes him particularly exciting is his versatility.
He can seam the ball both ways, swing it through the air, and still use his height to hit the deck hard and extract bounce. That combination gives him multiple methods of taking wickets depending on conditions.
Not every fast bowler needs to operate at 145+ to succeed in Tests—control, movement, and adaptability matter just as much. Abdul Subhan offers exactly that balance.
Awais Anwar – The Swing Threat with Pace
Another towering 6’5” quick, Awais Anwar adds a slightly different dimension to the group.
With a top speed of around 145k, he brings genuine pace, but his strongest weapon is swing. Fast bowlers who can swing the ball at that speed are dangerous anywhere in the world.
He also gets good bounce from his height, making him far more than just a conventional swing bowler. In English or New Zealand conditions especially, bowlers like Awais can become devastating.
Pakistan has often lacked sustained high-quality swing bowling abroad—Awais could help change that.
Rizwanullah – Raw but Potentially Special
Perhaps the most physically imposing of them all, Rizwanullah stands around 6’6” or 6’7”, making him the tallest of this exciting group.
He can reach speeds of up to 145k and generates naturally steep bounce simply because of his height and release point. He is another strong hit-the-deck bowler who can trouble batters even without extravagant movement.
At present, he does not get much movement and still lacks accuracy, but context matters—he is only 17.
At that age, rhythm, control, and consistency can all improve significantly with proper coaching and workload management. You cannot teach that kind of height and pace.
If developed correctly, Rizwanullah could become a seriously intimidating Test bowler.
Akif Javed – Pace and Late Swing
Akif Javed is another tall fast bowler who deserves serious attention.
He can hit the late 140s and, crucially, swing the ball both ways while still generating good bounce. That combination of late pace and movement is exactly what makes fast bowlers dangerous at the highest level.
Fast bowlers who can attack the stumps, move the ball conventionally and reverse it later, while still operating at serious pace, are rare.
Akif has the tools to become a genuine red-ball asset if given the right pathway.
The Biggest Challenge: Management, Not Talent
Pakistan’s problem has rarely been producing talent—it has been preserving it.
Too often, young fast bowlers are overbowled, rushed into formats that do not suit their development, or physically broken down before they reach their peak. Red-ball fast bowling requires patience, planning, and protection.
These bowlers should not be treated as short-term white-ball fixes.
They need proper first-class exposure, workload management, strength and conditioning support, and carefully planned Test pathways. Pakistan must think long-term.
Because the truth is simple: Pakistan does have the red-ball bowling talent.
Tall bowlers. Genuine pace. Seam movement. Swing. Bounce. Hit-the-deck aggression.
These are the ingredients of winning Test matches abroad.
If Pakistan manages Ali Raza, Razaullah, Abdul Subhan, Awais Anwar, Rizwanullah, and Akif Javed correctly, the country could build the kind of pace attack that travels—and wins.
And in Test cricket, that changes everything.
Five out of seven instances have been against Pakistan.
