ICC’s new rule makes Hasan Raza’s youngest Test debutant record unbreakable

The International Cricket Council (ICC) brought forth a rule where a cricketer under the age of 15 years won’t be able to play at the international level. The rule will be applicable to men’s cricket, women’s cricket, and U19 cricket as well. As per the previous rules, there was no age bar for any player. In the meantime, the new law has made an international record unbreakable.

Back on October 24, 1996, Pakistan batsman, Hasan Raza became the youngest cricket to make his debut. He accomplished the feat against Zimbabwe in Faisalabad at the age of 14 years and 227 days, 137 days shy of his 15th birthday. After his record became unassailable, Raza said that the ICC has taken the right call, bearing in mind the mental growth of cricketers.

It is also good from the safety point of view, says Hasan Raza

“The ICC has done the right thing. I am not saying this because my record is intact, but I believe that players become mentally strong and mature after the age of fifteen. It is also good from the safety point of view that players play as they mature,” Raza was quoted as saying to a Bangladesh cricket website.

Hasan Raza, who’s 38 years old at the present point in time, said that facing the hostile West Indies pace attack at a young age wasn’t a cakewalk by any means.

“While I was playing for Pakistan, West Indies Courtney Walsh, who had taken 400 Test wickets, was also playing. He was very fast and it was really tough for a young batsman to play him,” he stated.

Raza got into the Pakistan team after he impressed in school cricket and played his maiden Test under the leadership of Wasim Akram. The right-handed batsman broke fellow Pakistan cricketer Mushtaq Mohammad’s record.

“Yes, I was invited to make my debut early. This was because my performance in school attracted the attention of the selectors. Wasim Akram was my first Test captain and the test cap was given to me by Mushtaq Mohammad, whose record (15 years 124 days) was broken by me after 38 years,” Raza added.

In seven Tests and 16 ODIs, Raza scored 235 and 242 runs respectively. He also scored three fifties and last represented his country in 2005 during a Test against England at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.