Former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ramiz Raja criticized the team’s management following their 2-0 loss to England in the T20I series just before the T20 World Cup. In the fourth T20I at Kennington Oval, England comprehensively outplayed Pakistan, chasing down a target of 158 with more than four overs to spare. Pakistan’s performance suffered due to a weak middle order and the ineffectiveness of their pace bowlers in defending the target.
Michael Vaughan ” I think Will Jacks, Phil Salt, Jos Buttler in particular, playing in the IPL in the eliminations, playoffs, pressure, crowd, expectation, I would argue that playing a IPL is better preparation than playing a T20 game against Pakistan.”pic.twitter.com/IKiJ4dQDRa
---Advertisement---— Sujeet Suman (@sujeetsuman1991) May 26, 2024
Ramiz Raja Slams Pakistan Cricket team’s Poor Performance vs England
Ramiz expressed his concerns about the ongoing experimentation in Pakistan’s white-ball setup, criticizing the management for the negative outcomes of their decisions. He specifically disapproved of the decision to introduce Saim Ayub as an opening batsman, which disrupted the successful partnership between Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, established during Mohammad Hafeez’s brief tenure as the director of cricket for Pakistan.
“They should stop experimenting with the team. Go into a game with a proper combination. You need to get out of the phobia of strike rate because you don’t have that kind of players. Aapne is team ka satyanash kar diya hai (You have completely made a cock-up of this team),” Ramiz said on his YouTube channel.
Since Ayub’s inclusion at the top of the order, his performance has been disappointing. Additionally, Pakistan’s middle-order batsmen have struggled to score runs during critical moments, exacerbating the team’s batting issues. In the recent T20I series against New Zealand, Ayub initially struggled to find form but showed promise with a quick 45 off 29 balls in the first match. Over the four matches against New Zealand, the 21-year-old scored 52 runs at an average of 14.25, with a top score of 32.
“You have ruined the team by breaking the opening pair (of Babar and Rizwan). The role of the middle order is not defined. You have put all-rounders in the middle and two wicket-keepers are playing. You are changing the fast bowlers. Your spinners don’t spin the ball and don’t have the confidence. You put Imad Wasim out of the playing XI. There is no sideways movement and you have completely dismantled the team just before the T20 World Cup,” he added.
Before Ayub’s inclusion, Babar and Rizwan had been the pillars of Pakistan’s opening partnership, forming one of the most formidable duos in T20Is. Their partnership reached new heights during the 2022 Men’s T20I World Cup, where they shared a record-breaking 105-run stand, their third century partnership of the tournament, showcasing their exceptional chemistry and batting skills.
Heading into the upcoming tournament, Pakistan is placed in Group A, alongside rivals India, as well as Canada, USA, and Ireland. Their campaign begins with a match against co-hosts USA at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Texas on Thursday.
Also Read: Former India Player Gives 2 Names That Will Be Dropped From Mumbai Indians Next year
