Razaullah’s rocket rise

KARACHI:

Razaullah Khan Mashwani’s rise to Pakistan’s Test team did not begin under bright stadium lights or in a high-profile academy.

It began with tape-ball cricket in Mardan.

The fast bowler, who made a sensational international debut against England, was born into a family from Nehag Dara in Upper Dir. When he was about hardly two years old, his family moved to Mardan, the second-largest city in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where he began building the career that would eventually take him to Pakistan’s national team.

For years, Razaullah’s progress was powered less by recognition than by persistence.

“He is a very good boy and his main focus is on his game only,” said Akmal Khan, one of the coaches who has worked with him and runs the Akmal Khan Cricket Academy in Mardan.

Akmal, a former first-class batting all-rounder and qualified coach, has watched Razaullah develop from a promising youngster into one of Pakistan’s most exciting fast-bowling prospects.

“He is a nice guy and is passionate about his bowling,” Akmal told The Express Tribune.

Razaullah is also a capable batsman, Akmal said, a part of his game that he believes will become more apparent as his career develops.

But it is his pace that has made him stand out.

Razaullah started with tape-ball cricket before making the transition to hard-ball cricket. His father, now elderly and no longer working, encouraged him to stay focused on the sport, while his five brothers supported him throughout the journey.

“Razaullah came to Mardan in 2007,” Akmal said. “His father has always encouraged him to focus on cricket and work hard. All of his brothers have also supported him throughout his journey.”

The progression was gradual but relentless.

Razaullah joined the Akmal Khan Cricket Academy during the 2022-23 season. In 2023, he played Under-19 cricket at the inter-district level before being selected for the Abbottabad Region Under-19 team.

His first opportunity at the national Under-19 level immediately caught attention.

“In his first appearance at the national Under-19 level, he was one of the best-performing players,” Akmal said.

Akmal was part of the coaching staff for the regional Under-19 team, working alongside head coach Arun Lal, who also backed the young fast bowler.

Razaullah continued to impress at a tournament in Quetta before moving into senior cricket with the Mardan district team. His progress, however, was interrupted by an elbow injury after his second match.

The setback did not derail him.

MIT Solutions gave him an opportunity to play in 2024, and he responded by taking 28 wickets. He returned for another season with the team and claimed 27 wickets, helping it reach the final against Sahir Associates.

Although Sahir Associates won the final and earned promotion to first-class cricket, Razaullah's performance strengthened his reputation.

He was later included among the 30 players selected for the Abbottabad Region, but opportunities remained limited.

Then came another break.

Rafatullah, the Peshawar Region coach, gave Razaullah a chance to play as a guest player for the region. He showed that his value extended beyond the ball, scoring a century and a half-century.

Sahir Associates subsequently offered him a contract for the 2025-26 first-class season.

In five matches, he took 25 wickets.

That brought another step up: the Pakistan Super League.

Rawalpindiz selected Razaullah, and although he played only two matches, he made an impression with his pace, reaching 148 kph.

His performances continued to accumulate.

Razaullah represented Abbottabad Region in the National T20 competition, where the team became champions in 2026. He was then called up to a white-ball camp at the National Cricket Academy.

The next opportunity was the Champions Cup, where he was selected for Pakistan Gold.

He seized it.

Razaullah's performances drew attention around the country and helped Pakistan Gold win the tournament. Soon afterward, he returned to the National Cricket Academy for a fast-bowling camp, where he was named player of the camp.

Then, late one night, the call came.

Razaullah was at home when the National Cricket Academy asked him to report.

That call ultimately led to his selection for Pakistan's Test squad.

For a young cricketer whose journey began with a tape-ball in Mardan, the rise has been remarkably quick.

But those who have followed him closely say it was not accidental.

“Razaullah is a very talented and hardworking young man,” Akmal said. “He strongly believes in hard work and has always trusted his own efforts. He has never believed in taking shortcuts.”

His journey, Akmal said, is the product of “dedication, determination and continuous hard work.”

Mukhtiar Hussain, a former manager of Abbottabad Region, reached a similar conclusion after working with the fast bowler.

“He is a hard-working player and the best thing in him is that he focuses on his job,” Mukhtiar told this correspondent.

For now, Razaullah remains connected to the places that helped shape him. One of his brothers still lives in Nehag Dara in Upper Dir, while Razaullah himself lives in Mansab, near New Sabzi Mandi in Mardan.

At the Akmal Khan Cricket Academy, where part of his journey took shape, there is already anticipation for his return.

Akmal said the academy and Shaheen Club, which he represents, will welcome him warmly.

For a player who spent years chasing opportunities from the margins of Pakistan's cricket system, the welcome will mark another milestone in a journey that has gone from tape-ball cricket in Mardan to the country's Test team, powered, above all, by pace, patience and persistence.

Pakistan also has a solid batsman Kamran Ghulam who belongs to Dir Upper.