Former Pakistan captain and ex-PCB chief Ramiz Raja was unhappy with the way the Pakistan team played against India in their ICC World Cup 2023 encounter which was played in Ahmedabad on October 14.
Pakistan suffered a humiliating 7-wicket win with 117 balls to spare as India chased down the 192-run target set by them pretty easily. Rohit Sharma slammed 86 runs in 63 balls with six fours and six sixes, while Shreyas Iyer made 53*.
Earlier asked to bat first after losing the toss, Pakistan posted 191 runs despite being 155/2 at one stage. Babar Azam made 50 and Mohammad Rizwan scored 49 runs, adding 82 for the third wicket.
In the aftermath of the defeat, which meant Pakistan are now 0-8 against India in Cricket World Cup history, Ramiz Raja termed the defeat as “hurting” and “scarring”.
“It's going to hurt them. It's scarring, it's a pasting, it's a battering and they've been outpaced and outplayed in all three departments. If you can't win, then at least compete. Pakistan wasn't able to do that,” Raja told the ICC Review Podcast.
“It's a reality and Pakistan has got to do something about it. They can't be termed as 'chokers' against India because that's not a great tag to have. Somehow, it's a mental block, it's a skill block as well,” said Raja, who was part of the Pakistan team that lost to India in the 1992 World Cup, which began the streak.
He admitted that Pakistan players go through immense pressure in a match against India, but said they need to rise above that.
“When you're playing against India, it's such an environment where it's 99 percent India fans and crowds, you're overwhelmed. I understand all of that. But Babar Azam has led this side for a good four or five years, so you've got to rise to the occasion.
Credit to India for maintaining their presence in World Cup competitions against Pakistan. It's not an easy match for India also because there are emotions involved, and there are expectations involved. Then you're supposed to win because it has been happening for so many years that this can get you under a little bit of extra pressure. But they've handled it so well,” he said.
Raja asked captain Babar and other senior Pakistan players to rally around the youngsters so that they come all guns blazing in their next matches.
“Babar Azam and the senior players will have to rally around some of the young kids and have got to find an answer. They've got to be brutally honest in those team meetings. I think that is where Pakistan needs to start,” he said.
Pakistan will now face Australia next in Bengaluru on Friday, October 20.
(PTI inputs)
