File photo of Pakistan cricket team.© AFP
Former Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja slammed the bowlers and the country’s cricket board following the team’s poor performance in ODI World Cup 2023. The Babar Azam-led side failed to qualify for the semi-finals of the tournament after finishing at the fifth spot in the points table at the end of the league stage. Pakistan lost five of their nine matches that included a disappointing eight-wicket loss at the hands of Afghanistan. Ramiz didn’t mince words while slamming the bowlers and the Pakistan Cricket Board.
“Jab naye ball pe aap out nahi karenge, jab aap expensive se expensive hote jayenge toh Babar Azam kya khaak kapataani karega (When bowlers would not take wickets with the new ball and start getting more and more expensive, how would Babar Azam do captaincy then?),” Ramiz said on his YouTube channel.
“And then they (PCB) would gather some ex-cricketers and ask them how to fix cricket? Who put them in charge (of the board)? Is their job just to huddle together and change the captain and the coaching staff and think they have taken a major step?” asked Raja.
Ramiz also slammed the leaking of the messages that reportedly took place between Zaka Ashraf and Babar.
“Not even an inch of Pakistan’s cricket can get better if you don’t have passion for the game. You need to change yourself and your mindset. You need to shut this process of leaking news,” he said.
“The new chief selector that you’ve appointed, look at his old clips and how badly he has talked about Babar and Rizwan, you want your cricket to progress by appointing a 70-year-old who knows nothing about selection?” the former captain said.
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