"Don't understand need for experimentation before World Cup": Ramiz Raja on Pakistan's defeat against New Zealand
Apr 26, 2024
New Delhi [India], April 26 : Former cricketer and PCB chairman Ramiz Raja slammed the Pakistan team management for their attempts to experiment with the squad ahead of the T20 World Cup.
Pakistan suffered a second consecutive defeat in their ongoing series against New Zealand, which allowed the Kiwis to take an unassailable 2-1 lead in the five-match T20I series.
An inexperienced New Zealand side left the hosts dazed with a clinical performance in all facets of the game in the 4th T20I.
After losing the game by four runs, Pakistan skipper Babar Azam revealed that their plan for the game was to test their bench strength and try out different batting combinations.
Babar's comments didn't sit well with Ramiz, as the 61-year-old criticised the management and questioned the need to experiment with the squad with the World Cup almost a month away.
"Where is it written that when you are trying to test your bench strength it is necessary to lose. I can't understand what you are trying to do. When you suffer defeat, you lose your fibre and experimentation gets destroyed. Our white ball team was good, but the captaincy change had some consequences, change in batting positions also led to sabotaging of the team, out-of-blue selection, putting major players on the bench and then bringing them into the team," Ramiz said on his YouTube channel.
"Too many cooks in the dugout and a lot of people are trying to be experts. There is massive confusion. I don't understand the need for experimentation before the World Cup," Ramiz added.
After the conclusion of the New Zealand series, Pakistan will travel to England for a four-match T20I series which will kick off on May 22.
Ramiz posed the question if the experimentation results in Pakistan losing the series against England.
"You need to make a combination that makes you competitive. You can't lose matches by experimenting based on talent. You can experiment all you want but you can't lose matches against this New Zealand team. If you lose the England series, in what frame of mind will you go in New York to defeat India? Your body of work is defeat. Pakistan needs to focus on victory," Ramiz added.
Pakistan can only end the series against the Blackcaps on level terms if they are able to emerge triumphant in the fifth T20I on Saturday.
