Ramiz Raja emphasized the need for a long-term vision, a system that nurtures talent and equips them with the skills and temperament to handle pressure situations.
Ramiz Raja slammed the approach of Pakistan Cricket. (Source: PTI/AP)
Ramiz Raja, the former chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and ex-captain, launched a scathing attack on the team’s performance and selection process after their disappointing showing in the T20 World Cup.
Pakistan’s campaign ended with a whimper, failing to progress past the group stages. This dismal performance has sparked outrage amongst fans and cricket pundits alike.
Raja attributed the team’s struggles to a “hotchpotch” system that fails to produce cricket-ready players and proper leaders who can take the game forward.
“See, I understand pressure is different in T20 cricket. It is a tough format, no doubt. Please take a look at how India backs its players. Axar got smacked in the final, but that does not make him a bad bowler overnight. But with Pakistan, the problem is that we are always up and down. We are unable to read the game. Also, as far as the leadership is concerned, it is the system that produces a leader, not some magic wand,” he said on his YouTube channel.
“In Pakistan, the system is a hotchpotch. Whenever a new administration comes in, they try to impose their new system. So, every time, it is a fresh start. By the time you go from 1st gear to fourth gear, the regime changes and we are back to square one. For greatness, there is a need for system and continuity,” he added.
“A lot of improvements are needed in Pakistan. There are short-term and long-term needs. Neither do we have short-term goals, and the question of long-term does not arise because no one knows what will happen in a year because there is so much turbulence in cricket,” he concluded.