Ramiz Raja: “He needs to step up as captain as well. He should take authoritative decisions”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ramiz Raja wants to see captain Babar Azam “step up” and make “authoritative decisions.”
His comments come at a time when the Pakistan team are struggling as they have lost four matches in a row in the ongoing 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup.
The four-game losing streak has thrown Azam’s future as captain into the spotlight once again, with many asking whether he is the right man for the job.
While Ramiz refused to wade into the debate, he does want to see the 29-year-old from Lahore start showing more confidence when leading the men in green.
“He needs to step up as captain as well. He should take authoritative decisions,” he said on his YouTube channel as quoted by Cricket Pakistan.
In the World Cup, Azam hasn’t been at his best with the bat as he has scored 207 runs in six matches, which includes three fifties, at an average of 34.50.
Pakistan won their first two games against the Netherlands and Sri Lanka before losing four straight to India, Australia, Afghanistan and South Africa.
With the team’s campaign having gone off the rails, they will be looking to secure a much-needed win when they go up against Bangladesh on October 31 in Kolkata.
Pakistan Squad for 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup: Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam (capt), Mohammad Rizwan, Saud Shakeel, Iftikhar Ahmed, Salman Ali Agha, Shadab Khan, Usama Mir, Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Hasan Ali