PAK vs BAN: Ramiz Raja says India’s Asia Cup thrashing started downfall of Pakistan pacers
Former Pakistan cricketer and ex-PCB chairman Ramiz Raja thinks Pakistan’s fast bowlers have lost their strong reputation. He believes this decline started after Pakistan’s big loss to India in the Super Fours of last year’s Asia Cup.
Pakistan also faced their first-ever defeat against Bangladesh, losing by 10 wickets in the first Test of their two-match series in Rawalpindi.
On his YouTube channel, Ramiz criticized the team for their performance. He questioned the decision to go with an all-pace attack, especially since Bangladesh scored 565 runs in their first innings. He suggested that Pakistan’s current fast bowlers are not performing well.
“There was a mistake in team selection by not including a spinner. Also, the reputation we once had for fast bowlers is now gone,” Ramiz said.
He noted that the confidence crisis began when India scored heavily against Pakistan’s fast bowlers during the Asia Cup. Ramiz said the world discovered that attacking Pakistan’s bowlers was an effective strategy. He criticized the decrease in the bowlers’ speeds and skill levels.
In the 2023 Asia Cup, India scored 356-2 with big innings from Virat Kohli and KL Rahul. Pakistan could only manage 128 runs in reply, leading to their worst ODI defeat against India.
Ramiz also pointed out that Bangladesh’s fast bowlers seemed more effective than Pakistan’s. He said Pakistan’s bowlers were more focused on celebrating dismissals than on their performance. He added that without a top-speed bowler, Pakistan struggled against a strong batting lineup like Bangladesh’s.
Ramiz criticized captain Shan Masood’s leadership and his poor batting form, noting Masood has scored only 201 runs in his last eight innings, averaging 25.12.
“Shan Masood is losing matches. It’s tough to win in Australian conditions, but losing at home to Bangladesh suggests poor preparation. Masood’s batting needs improvement, and he should use his experience to make better decisions,” Ramiz said.
He also mentioned inconsistent team selection, recalling the 2023 T20I series against Afghanistan where Shadab Khan led a young team that lost the series. Ramiz felt that after this loss, the team reverted to relying on older players, affecting overall performance and confidence.
