LAHORE: Former head of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Ramiz Raja has said that Pakistan Cricket is as strong as Pakistan Army in the country because it unites the whole nation under one flag.
Addressing a ceremony here on Tuesday, he said the 2014’s constitution of PCB was a dark era in Pakistan Cricket, adding that Najam Sethi said that he entered in PCB to give employment but they had recently terminated more than 150 coaches from PCB. He further said “This is injustice with even the cricket fans when someone is imposed in PCB by bulldozing the constitution of the cricket board.”
Ramiz Raja said Cricket should be kept away from politics. “This is a wrong perception that a cricketer cannot become a good administrator in PCB. Pakistan Cricket should be run by the Pakistani cricketers,” he said.
He said “I give message to the youngster to explore your talent and keep experiencing different things in your life. You only get one chance to live so make sure you do not get defensive in your life and live your life to your fullest like a T20 match.”
Ramiz Raja said he always told captain Babar Azam that being runners up was good but the cricket fans would consider you hero when you would win the trophies and become champions. “I always tell captain Babar Azam that we have to defeat India every time we play because this will prove that Pakistan is a better team than India. This will also kill narrative of BCCI built in the world cricket,” he said.
He said “the youth should come out of smartphones and spend their time in the ground. Sports gives balance in life. If you want to study the life then play sports and cricket. The experience of winning or loosing in the ground is something which cant be taught by parents even.”
Recalling past memories, Ramiz Raja said Pakistan Cricket suffered from the darkness of match fixing. “Perhaps I was the only one who was not bothered about corruption in cricket. The reason behind was that I got good education and knew the difference between right and wrong,” he added.
گورنمنٹ کالج لاہورکی جانب سےسابق چئیرمین پی سی بی رمیز راجہ کو لائف ٹائم اچیومنٹ ایوارڈ دےدیا گیا????
میں یہاں اپناکیس لڑنےنہیں آیامگرجوہواوہاچھانہیں ہوا
آئین کوتوڑکrیہاں ایک بندے کونوازنےکیلئےشب خون ماراگیا#نااہل_حکمران_عوام_پریشان #StockMarket #PakistanCricket #PakvsNZ https://t.co/cEMyXvYmUC— BaqiR.kaXmi (@s_m_b_k_1) January 10, 2023
Referring to the conditions of pitches, Ramiz Raja said the pitches were in extremely bad conditions in Pakistan. “We tried a lot to bring the bounce in the pitches of Pakistan but it will take next one or two year,” he said, adding that the preparation of pitches was a science and unfortunately the curators in Pakistan were gardeners. “I will work on the improvement of pitches in Pakistan if I ever got another opportunity in PCB,” he said.
Ramiz Raja said the reason behind introducing PJL and The Women’s League was to built properties of PCB so that it would have given economic stability to Pakistan Cricket and PCB would not remain dependent on ICC funding. He said Pakistan Junior League was going nowhere and the second edition of PJL would happen, adding that the time changed very quickly in Pakistan Cricket. “I will not let PJL be wasted,” he said.
Commenting on recent decisions taken by interim management, Ramiz Raja said PCB had taken such a big risk by naming vice-captain of ODI (Shan Masood) who was not even a regular member of ODI squad. This would further pressurize Pakistan.
Ramiz Raja said “I never ever thought of Lahore vs Karachi controversy because every player represents the Pakistan Cricket Team.” He said fhe cricket fans of Pakistan have to understand that tainted and players involved in match fixing are never meant to be loved. “I have simply no respect in my book for those tainted players,” he added.
The former PCB Chief said “ICC is majorly funded by India and this ultimately give controls over ICC. I told ECB and Cricket Australia that we have to raise voice against it because at the end it will damage Pakistan Cricket.”
