- Teenage fast bowling sensation Ali Raza’s inspirational story also part of the Podcast, which is available here for free download and editorial use; the PCB Podcast is also available on Spotify
- Complete transcript of Jason Gillespie’s interview available here
Faisalabad, 28 September 2024: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) today released the 55th edition of the PCB Podcast, featuring interviews with Pakistan men’s red-ball team head coach Jason Gillespie and 16-year-old fast bowling sensation Ali Raza from Sheikhupura.
The podcast is available here for viewing and free downloading for editorial purposes.
In the 22-minute interview with PCB Digital, Gillespie, who took over in April and has managed the team in only one Test series so far, previews the upcoming series against England. He discusses the philosophy behind team selection and the importance of the series as part of a forward-thinking approach.
During his career, Gillespie took 259 wickets in 71 Tests for Australia, with his best figures being seven for 37 against England at Headingley in 1997. He also scored 1,218 runs, with his highest score being 201 not out against Bangladesh at Chattogram in 2006. His 259 Test wickets include 10 wickets in four Tests against Pakistan and 65 wickets in 18 Tests against England.
The first Test in Multan will begin on 7 October, while the second Test will also take place in Multan from 15 October. The third Test in Rawalpindi will start on 24 October.
The PCB Podcast also includes a 17-minute interview with one of Pakistan’s brightest future stars, Ali Raza. He has made headlines in both new and traditional media during the ongoing Champions One-Day Cup in Faisalabad.
In the interview, Ali Raza reflects on his journey from village cricket to his first visit to the National Cricket Academy, his selection for Pakistan's age-group side and visit to the ECB's High-Performance Centre in Loughborough a couple of months ago. He also shares how he has been appreciated and encouraged by former greats of the game.
After missing the first two Champions One-Day Cup matches due to dengue, Ali Raza made an impressive debut by dismissing Mohammad Haris and Shan Masood, helping his side Lake City Panthers beat Allied Bank Stallions by 20 runs. In the following match, he had Haseebullah caught at the wicket as the Panthers secured a comfortable seven-wicket victory over UMT Markhors.
Ali Raza also featured in the ICC Men’s U19 Cricket World Cup 2024 in South Africa, where he claimed nine wickets in three matches. This included figures of four for 34 in a one-wicket loss to Australia in the semi-final, where Pakistan were defending 180 runs.
Although the 16-year-old is yet to make his first-class debut, he has played seven List-A matches to date, including five for WAPDA in the 2024 President’s Cup. Ali Raza has already caught the attention of cricket analysts, experts, and coaches, and he is being touted as a future star.
Gillespie was asked the following questions and the transcripts of his responses are available here.
- The series against England is less than two weeks away. How excited are you?
- Pakistan lost 3-0 to England two years ago and recently suffered a 2-0 defeat against Bangladesh. What do the team need to do to reverse this trend?
- Why did Pakistan struggle to maintain momentum in the two Tests against Bangladesh? What’s missing from the team?
- Do you have the players capable of addressing the gaps and cashing in on the important moments?
- Kamran Ghulam and Mohammad Ali missed out on selections. What was the thinking and philosophy behind the team selection?
- Brook scored 468 runs and Duckett 357 in the 2022 series, but England will be without fast bowlers Anderson, Wood and Robinson, who shared 25 wickets between them and created opportunities for Leach to take 15 wickets. How could their absence benefit Pakistan?
- Why are we playing back-to-back Tests in Multan?
- Abrar Ahmed and Noman Ali may potentially have pivotal roles in the Multan Tests. Your thoughts?
- Looking ahead, how crucial is this series for Pakistan cricket, its top players and other stakeholders?
- Have you, Gary Kirsten and David Reid spoken with key players? How are they feeling ahead of the series?
- Our cricketers idolise former Test cricketers. When they hear positive comments from them, they grow in confidence. Your thoughts?
- As an Australian and Ashes winner, how eager are you to win this series?
- Finally, your thoughts on Bazball and who starts as the series favorite?
