Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ramiz Raja talked about the severe criticism that the Babar Azam-led team has been facing since their defeat in the Asia Cup 2022 final and the recent series loss to England at home.
Pakistan was outplayed in the final of the Asia Cup 2022 by Sri Lanka, who had also beaten them twice in the tournament already. Then they hosted England for a seven-match T20I series at home and despite leading 3-2 after the first five matches in Karachi, Babar and his side lost the last three games and the series 4-3 to Moeen Ali-led England which was devoid of several first-choice players.
During a chat on Samaa TV, Ramiz Raja talked about how captain Babar Azam has told him how much the players and the team is criticized lately. He said that constructive criticism is acceptable, but the way ‘parchi’ chants towards Khushdil Shah in the last T20I against England, was uncalled for.
“The fans have ownership. This is as big as a product as any of our great institution. They unite Pakistan, bring a smile on the fans' faces. Everyone is emotionally involved in this team. Babar Azam often tells me ‘dekhiye hamaara kitna criticism hota hai’. I say to him, ‘be happy that cricket isn’t like any other sport in Pakistan where people don't care about them'. When people are engaged, they will form opinions. As long as they are constructive, no one has a problem,” Ramiz said.
He also counted the achievement of Babar Azam and the Pakistani side in the recent past and singled out their victory over the Indian team in T20 World Cup 2021 in Dubai. This was the first time Pakistan won a match against their arch-rivals in ICC World Cup events since 1992.
Pakistan also defeated India in the Super 4s stage of the Asia Cup 2022 tournament but had lost to them in the league stage earlier.
“Their achievement is nothing short of a miracle. I never saw Pakistan beating India (in World Cup), but now they have done it. But then, people say, ‘ok, this has happened. Let's move on'. You should pause a little and recognize their achievements. We have defeated a billion-dollar cricket industry. It isn't easy,” Ramiz said.
“This team has a wonderful temperament. There are issues in the middle order and we tend to freeze and drop catches in big games. But these aren't things where you can work upon. Everything is possible,” he further insisted.
(Samaa TV inputs)
