The rise of raw fast bowling talent in Pakistan often follows a familiar, romantic script. For Karachi’s latest pace sensation, Rizwanullah, that script began on a regular weekend afternoon in a local neighborhood street. Standing at a towering 6 feet 7 inches, the young speedster has quickly transitioned from local tape-ball fields to steaming in against international stars in the Pakistan Super League (PSL 11).

Fresh off his breakthrough performances for the Karachi Kings and Karachi Region Whites, the 17 year old sat down with us at RCA Karachi to talk about his journey, learning from legends, and the sheer love for bowling fast.

Here is what the young speedster had to say in his own words.

Question 1: Please tell us about your journey and what inspired you to play cricket?

Rizwanullah: “It all started in our local gully, where we used to play cricket every Sunday. One weekend, a friend approached me and said, ‘Come with me, we have a hard-ball match today.’ I went along and ended up bowling really well. That was the moment I fell in love with cricket. Soon after, I joined the Muhammad Zahid Cricket Academy, where I trained for four years under Coach Zahid Khan. From there, I progressed through the Under-16 and Under-19 levels, eventually representing the Karachi Region Whites in the National T20 Cup. That performance opened the doors for my selection in the PSL. My entire professional journey started right there, on a simple Sunday.”

From a casual Sunday in a local street to steaming in at 145 KPH under the PSL stadium lights. His journey proves that Karachi’s legendary street talent, when backed by pure academy grit, is unstoppable.

Question 2: You progressed from Under-16 to Under-19 cricket. What was it like when you found out you made the Pakistan Under-19 squad, and how much did that motivate you?

Rizwanullah: “It is an incredible feeling. Getting selected directly from Under-16 to the Pakistan Under-19 squad is a massive achievement. Representing your country is a huge honor, and I was absolutely thrilled. By the will of Allah, I will continue to put in maximum effort so that my name comes in future in the senior national team.”

Even with a massive Pakistan U19 call up in the bag, Rizwanullah stays completely humble and grounded. He’s celebrating the moment, but his eyes are locked onto the future, ready to grind even harder for that senior Pakistan jersey.

Question 3: You’re known for hitting 145+ kph. Tell us about your pace. How do you balance pace with variations?

Rizwanullah: “Pace is everything. In Pakistan, whoever has pace gets noticed and they get more opportunities to play cricket. I work really hard for it. Every day in the gym and during ground practice, I stay fully focused on my speed.”

He believes that the more he bowls, the faster he will get, and he is ready to push his body to clock even higher speeds. In Pakistan, serious pace with control is the ultimate ticket to the top, and he completely gets that.

Question 4: We’ve seen you play in different tournaments across Karachi. How tough is the competition here for a young kid who wants to make it to the senior team? Masha’Allah, now that you’re in the senior team, who better to answer this than you?

Rizwanullah: “For sure. There are so many massive tournaments here. I had a really good run in the KPL, and I played in the Master League before that. Karachi cricket is just so competitive and high in quality. Standing out and making a name for yourself here is never easy.”

Karachi’s local cricket scene is essentially a pressure cooker that tests a player’s mental toughness long before they play professional matches. Performing well in elite tournaments makes the player already battle-tested before his big debut.

Question 5: You made your HBL PSL debut this year. You had David Warner as your captain, Moeen Ali as the stand-in captain, and senior bowlers like Hasan Ali and Mir Hamza around you. How much did you get to learn from them?

Rizwanullah: “I learned the most from Miru (Mir Hamza) Bhai because he is like an elder brother to me. I also learned a lot from Hasan Bhai, and David Warner used to teach me so many things. Whenever I needed help, I could just go directly to our coaches, Masroor Bhai and Ravi Bopara, and they always guided me accordingly.”

Sharing a dressing room with international legends like David Warner, Moeen Ali and Ravi Bopara is an invaluable masterclass for a teenager. It is also fantastic to see local seniors like Mir Hamza stepping up to mentor the next generation of Karachi pacemen.

Question 6: You made a big impact in HBL PSL 11 by taking the wickets of Test players and national stars (Abdullah Shafique, Saud Shakeel, and Hassan Nawaz). Whose wicket did you enjoy taking the most?

Rizwanullah: “Abdullah Shafique was definitely my favorite, especially since he was my debut PSL wicket. He was set and trying to change the match, so getting that breakthrough was an amazing feeling. I enjoyed it so much.”

Rizwanullah clean bowled the stylish Lahore Qalandars batsman with a searing, perfectly targeted Yorker. Absolute delight for any young pacer, that too on his debut.

Question 7: Your top performance so far was against Quetta Gladiators, where you took the wicket of Karachi Region Whites captain, Saud Shakeel. How did it feel to suddenly get so much recognition across Pakistan after that match?

Rizwanullah: “It’s never easy to get Saud Bhai out. He’s an established Test player, so taking his wicket is a really big deal. Dismissing someone of his caliber feels like a huge honor for me.”

Dismissing a high caliber Test batsman who is known for his incredibly solid technique is a massive achievement for any 17 year old making his debut on the big stage. Rizwanullah hit a hard, short of a length trajectory, forcing Saud to play at a ball that climbed much higher than expected due to his high release point. Looking to make room and heave it over the off side, Saud was undone by the extra bounce and caught behind by wicketkeeper Azam Khan.

Question 8: What were your feelings after that game, given the high-pressure situation you bowled in?

Rizwanullah: “We were playing a must win game, and the pressure was definitely high. However, I feel that performing well in tight situations is what helps me grow. The more pressure there is, the better I try to play.”

Rizwanullah’s crucial spell actually took place during the first innings to put a massive brake on Quetta’s flying start and keep their total within a chaseable limit. Rizwanullah was forced to leave the field in the middle of his final over due to extreme weather conditions, preventing him from completing his final spell finishing with 2 for 28 in 3.4 overs. Despite missing out on two deliveries, he had already done the damage and completely broke Quetta’s momentum.

Question 9: What are your plans moving forward? Are you focusing more on red ball cricket or white ball cricket?

Rizwanullah: “At the moment, I am not choosing between formats. I am just enjoying any match I get to play, from the National T20 and PSL to the One Day Cup and red ball cricket. No matter the format, my goal is to just enjoy the game.”

This is a refreshingly pure approach in a modern era where young players often specialize too early. Playing across all formats at this stage will give him the overs under his belt needed to build true bowling longevity.

Question 10: Whose wicket is your absolute dream to take?

Rizwanullah: “My dream is to out Harry Brook. He is actually my personal favorite player as well.”Watching a young 6 ft 7” Karachi speedster charging in at 145+ kph against a completely fearless, aggressive batsman like the 6 ft Harry Brook is exactly the kind of high stakes battle cricket fans dream of seeing. If Rizwanullah keeps up his relentless work ethic, it won’t be long before we see this exact blockbuster matchup unfold on the international stage.

Rizwanullah’s story shows that real cricket talent can come from a simple Sunday street match. He has already shown he can handle massive pressure, bowling fast to get top international stars out. His biggest dream is to play for the main Pakistan team and take the wickets of the world’s best batters. He loves to learn from senior players and is not scared of any big challenge ahead. The whole team at RCAK wishes him the best of luck on his exciting journey.