Former Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja slammed Pakistan after their seven-wicket defeat in the third T20I against a depleted New Zealand side in Rawalpindi on Sunday (April 21). Led by Michael Bracewell in the absence of several frontline players, New Zealand lost the second T20I after the first clash was washed out due to inclement weather. With the expectations of a similar result in the remaining matches, the Blackcaps pulled a rabbit out of the hat in the third encounter.
After a rapid start of 55/0 in the powerplay with the bat, the Men in Green slowed down in the middle period to reach only a sub-par score of 178/4 in 20 overs. In reply, New Zealand was led by their captain, Mark Chapman who played a astonishing knock of 87 runs in just 42 balls, as they completed the series-leveling run-chase in 18.2 overs.
Ramiz Raja’s rebuke: Pakistan’s loss to depleted New Zealand
Talking about the game on his YouTube channel, Ramiz had strong words of displeasure on Pakistan’s lackluster performance. Ramiz remarked that while losing is inherent to cricket, such a defeat significantly unsettles the team, particularly with the impending World Cup. He found the loss particularly embarrassing given that it occurred at home, on a favored surface, against a New Zealand team he deemed incomplete, not even a first or second-tier squad.
“Losing is a part of cricket, but such a defeat shakes the foundation a bit, especially with the World Cup just around the corner. Playing at home, on your favourite surface, against a team that isn’t even a complete side – not a first-tier or even a second-tier New Zealand team – makes it an embarrassing loss,” Ramiz said.
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Ramiz’s Worries: Pakistan’s unpredictability and subpar showing
Acknowledging the unpredictable nature of T20 cricket, Ramiz highlighted the significant blow to Pakistan’s reputation due to a sudden reversal of fortunes within 24 hours. He expressed concern over the prevailing notion that Pakistan’s performance can vary greatly from day to day. The Faisalabad-born cricketer pointed out the stark contrast: just a day earlier, Pakistan had triumphed with a seven-wicket victory, only to endure a seven- wicket defeat themselves the following day, a situation he deemed unacceptable.
“Let’s admit that in T20, anyone’s luck can change, but such a drastic turn of tables within 24 hours is a blow to Pakistan’s reputation. For some time now, there has been a notion that you can expect anything from Pakistan on a given day. Just 24 hours ago, Pakistan defeated them by 7 wickets, and 24 hours later, they themselves suffered a 7-wicket defeat. This should not happen,” the 61-year-old added.
Batting shortcomings and bowling lapses
Ramiz further felt several Pakistan batters got out after getting their eye in, resulting in the side falling woefully short of a formidable total on a batting paradise at Rawalpindi. The ex- Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief expressed dissatisfaction, stating that batters who are settled shouldn’t fall after scoring merely 20-30 runs, which explains the modest score of 180.
He emphasized that the pitch could yield at least 250 runs based on previous matches. Pakistan’s batting performance disappointed him, noting the absence of substantial innings. Additionally, he criticized the bowling display, particularly singling out Naseem Shah and Shaheen Shah Afridi for their lackluster performance.
“The batsmen who are set should not get out after scoring just 20-30 runs. That’s why the score is only 180. This pitch is worth at least 250 runs, as we know how many runs have been scored here before. Pakistan scored fewer runs, and no one played a long innings. The bowling performance was also quite mediocre. The frontline bowlers, Naseem Shah and Shaheen Shah Afridi, had a very dull day,” Ramiz concluded.
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