Recently sacked as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman, Ramiz Raja on Monday (December 26) conducted a forum for the fans on his YouTube channel.
During the session, Ramiz said he has always received a lot of love from India and the Indian cricket fans.
His comments came when a fan asked him about the perception that some of the decisions he took towards the end of his stint as PCB chief were against India and the BCCI.
Pakistan have the hosting rights of the Asia Cup 2023, but BCCI secretary Jay Shah in October said that India will not travel and the event would be shifted to a neutral venue.
In response, then PCB chairman Ramiz Raja had said that alteration to the Asia Cup might see them opt out of the 50-over World Cup in India next October and November.
"I have got great regard for Indian fans, I have absolutely enjoyed my stint over the years in India. There is no doubt in this. Cricket breaks barriers, it helps transcend barriers. As a cricketer, as a commentator, I have gotten a lot of love," Ramiz responded to a question from a fan.
"Problems start when you run the cricket administration, then you have to take strong decisions. Those strong decisions are judged by the Indian perspective, the fans and the cricket board in Pakistan are looking at their own benefits. They are looking at those calls from their own perspective.
"The problem started when we got the Asia Cup hosting rights and then India thought we won't go to Pakistan and because of that Asia Cup will be held in a neutral country, it can't be held in Pakistan. As you know, big international teams weren't coming to Pakistan, and after a long time, Pakistan is getting to host an international tournament. I took my stand based on that," he added.
Moreover, Ramiz said he always told Pakistan captain Babar Azam that the team needed to beat India to make sure the BCCI respected the PCB as equals and as a cricket superpower.
Pakistan hosted high-profile teams like Australia, England and New Zealand during Ramiz Raja’s tenure as PCB chairman.
The aforementioned teams had stopped coming to Pakistan since the terrorist attack on a Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore in 2009.
"Leadership is very important when you are running cricket. We challenged England, we challenged New Zealand when they went back, they returned to play. England played extra matches too also," Raja said.
"That's why it's important to take a stand for us. This was not even news to me, because it was a done deal that Pakistan will host the Asia Cup. To withdraw the hosting rights without any meeting, without any conversation, without any committee. No Asia Cup member also knew this.
"When any country tries to boss, then it becomes a problem. Suddenly, we took a stand against India and that situation won't be painted in India that way. They will obviously say "who are they to challenge us?"
"That's why I would keep telling Babar Azam it's important to win against India... If we are not competitive against them (India), they will not regard as us a superpower in cricket. We have to prove it again and again. We have also beaten India twice recently," he further remarked.
(India Today Inputs)
