• Home
  • Who Said What
  • Habit Of Losing Ramiz Rajas Wake Up Call After Pakistan Falters In World Cup Warm Up Match

'Habit Of Losing..', Ramiz Raja's Wake-up Call After Pakistan Falters In World Cup Warm-Up Match

image-ln6xzzvuPakistan cricket team, led by Babar Azam [Twitter]

Pakistan cricket team, led by Babar Azam, stumbled in a warm-up game against New Zealand ahead of the highly anticipated ODI World Cup. This defeat drew the ire of former Pakistan international, Ramiz Raja, who expressed his disappointment over the team's performance, particularly highlighting concerns about their bowling prowess.

Pakistan batters seemed to have found their rhythm. Posting a total of 345 runs, the Men in Green were buoyed by a sensational century from the in-form Mohammad Rizwan. Captain Babar Azam and Saud Shakeel, too, made valuable contributions with the willow. However, despite their batting heroics, it was the bowlers who let Pakistan down when it mattered most.

New Zealand, never one to be taken lightly, chased down the score and sealed a comfortable five-wicket victory for New Zealand. 

Ramiz Raja could hardly hide his disappointment in the wake of this loss. He articulated his concerns about the team's bowling unit, emphasizing that their performance was far from up to par. 

Here's what he said:

“I know it was just a practice game, but a win is a win. And winning becomes a habit. But I feel Pakistan are now getting a habit of losing. First they lost in Asia Cup, and now here. Pakistan scored 345 and it was a great run-chase. If these are the pitches – and you will get such pitches in India – you will have to score 400 if your bowling keeps misfiring like this. You will have to change your tactics, take risks. And we don't do that. We play defensively for first 10-15 overs and then shift gears,” Raja emphasized, as reported by Hindustan Times.

As Pakistan's World Cup preparations hang in the balance, they are set to face Australia in their second warm-up game on October 3rd in Hyderabad. The stakes are high, and it is a crucial opportunity for them to iron out the creases before they commence their World Cup campaign against the Netherlands on October 6th in the same city.