After Pakistan’s heartbreaking two-wicket defeat to Sri Lanka and group exit from the Asia Cup Super Four, Ramiz Raja has taken a critical look at Pakistan’s team selection and Babar Azam’s leadership.
Ramiz believes that Pakistan’s team is still grappling with the emotional aftermath of their significant defeat against India. This mental burden seemed to linger when they faced Sri Lanka in a crucial, must-win match.
In a Super 4 encounter during the Asia Cup held in Colombo, India delivered a comprehensive performance that left Pakistan utterly demoralized. Thanks to the exceptional contributions of Virat Kohli and KL Rahul, who both scored centuries, India established a dominant position. Pakistan, on the other hand, struggled to reach a mere 128 runs, ultimately losing the match by an enormous margin of 228 runs.
“The massive defeat against India has given a psychological dent to Pakistan. They seemed to carry that loss in this match as well. They looked timid and scared and failed to close out the game. Babar Azam and top order looked over-cautious. They lacked authority,” Ramiz said on his YouTube channel.
The ex-PCB chief didn’t hold back when he raised concerns about Fakhar Zaman’s recent poor form and Babar’s leadership. He also voiced doubts about Babar’s batting struggles, except for a few exceptional performances.
“Fakhar Zaman is a walking wicket nowadays. His body language is looking shocking. I think Fakhar should himself refuse to play. On a slower track, Babar has struggled, barring one or two innings. He needs to step up as captain as well. He should take authoritative decisions,” he further added.
Moreover, the former Pakistan captain expressed his disappointment regarding the unavailability of Imam-ul-Haq, who was sidelined due to back spasms, and Saud Shakeel, who couldn’t recover from a bout of fever and thus couldn’t participate in the match. Reflecting on the rich history of cricket, he shared a story from the 1992 World Cup that served as a source of inspiration.
“In the morning of the match, Inzi refused to play in the semifinals. He couldn’t sleep. He was having a stomach issue. He was forced to play and was told there is no other option. He turned up and played a gem of a knock. Half-fit players should take risks if they want to become great players,” Raja added.
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