Cricket: Hasan shines as `youngest' double centurion

Pakistan's Hasan Raza, who became the youngest Test player when he faced Zimbabwe last year aged 14 years and 227 days, became the youngest scorer of a first-class double century yesterday - or maybe just one of the youngest because the absence of a birth certificate has cast doubt on his age.

He made an unbeaten 204, supposedly at the age of 15 years and 215 days, playing for Karachi Whites against Bahawalpur in the national championship, which would break the 13-year record of another Pakistani, Ijaz Ahmed.

But doubts about his exact age have been present ever since he played in the Under-15 World Cup in England two years ago. Ten other boys originally selected for that squad were found to be over-age although Hasan was cleared. Six of the Pakistan Under-19 party to the West Indies the same year were found to be too old.

After his debut against Zimbabwe in the second Test at Faisalabad - he scored 27 in his only innings - the Pakistan Cricket Board said medical tests showed him to be "about 15".

Majid Khan, the Pakistan Cricket Board chief executive, has said they do not accept Hasan's age.