'Pakistan cricket has collapsed': Ramiz Raja slams PCB after poor World Cup campaign, defends Babar Azam

Ramiz Raja, the former Pakistan skipper, on Sunday defended Babar Azam, but went onto slam the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for destroying Pakistan cricket. World Cup 2023: News | Schedule | Results | Points table Babar Azam-led Pakistan endured a disappointing fifth place finish at the ongoing 2023 Cricket World Cup, with just eight points from nine matches and missed out on qualifying for the semi-finals. Babar Azam has been criticised for his poor captaincy and is reportedly likely to step down as the skipper of the team.

“Jab naye ball se wickets nahi lenge, aap expensive hote jayenge toh Babar Azam kya khaak kapataani karega (When bowlers will not take wickets with the new ball and start getting expensive, how would Babar do captaincy then?,” Ramiz Raja said on his official 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 everyone would think they have taken a major step?,” questioned the former PCB chairman. Ramiz Raja also had some harsh words for current PCB chief Zaka Ashraf and Tauseef Ahmed, Pakistan’s new interim chief selector. “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 to your favourite reporters,” continued Raja. “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?”, added the former batter. The 61-year-old went onto say that the Pakistan cricket team had “collapsed” and that the entire system needed to change. “Pakistan cricket has collapsed. You can’t bat, bowl or field with spikes in club matches. On weekends, the grounds where clubs practice are given to the companies to organise tennis-ball cricket because it gives them [the clubs] money.” “This entire system needs to change and the board should change itself first,” commented Ramiz. Pakistan suffered a 93-run defeat at the hands of England in their final round-robin stage of the World Cup. When Raza was asked if Babar would continue as Pakistan captain, Raja said that “only time will tell”. “I spoke briefly with him (the day before England match). He was down and will make up his mind (about whether he wants to remain captain) once he lands in Pakistan. I don’t know whether he wants to lead Pakistan. Only time will tell,” Ramiz told on Star Sports after the match. “But for Pakistan, more than Babar leading them, it’s how this team wants to be led. What about the system? How do they want to approach white ball cricket? What are the fault lines? They are so irrelevant at times. Even the batting performance of today (versus England) was a specimen of the kid of cricket seen in 80s. “Pakistan cannot exist thinking they can beat good sides that are advanced in thinking, advanced in playing aggressive cricket by playing this nature of cricket. This team, more than anything, needs a mental lift at the moment because most if the nucleus of the team will remain the same,” Raja had said. India will take on New Zealand in the first semi-final of the World Cup in Mumbai on Wednesday, with South Africa facing Australia a day later in Kolkata. The final will be held on 19 November at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium.