Ramiz Raja: “Spinners can’t help you when they have been below par”
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Former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ramiz Raja has lashed out at the spinners in the national team, saying they can’t offer any help since they have “been below par.”
Shadab Khan and Mohammad Nawaz have struggled to take wickets regularly and their form was a big concern for the men in green going into the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup.
Things didn’t get any better during the tournament as Shadab was restricted to two wickets in six matches at an average of 118.50 and an economy rate of 6.23.
As for Nawaz, he claimed two wickets in five games at an average of 111.50 and an economy rate of 5.89.
Usama Mir was also utilised as the third full-time spinner in the World Cup, but didn’t do very well either as he finished with four wickets in four matches at an average of 62 and an economy rate of 7.08.
“Spinners can’t help you when they have been below par,” Ramiz was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan.
Pakistan won their first two games against the Netherlands and Sri Lanka before losing four in a row to India, Australia, Afghanistan and South Africa.
Despite bouncing back to beat Bangladesh and New Zealand, they could not make it to the semi-finals.
The men in green concluded their campaign on a sour note as England crushed them by 93 runs.
Pakistan’s next assignment will be a three-match Test series against Australia, but Shadab, Nawaz and Mir were not included in the 18-man squad.
The first Test between Pakistan and Australia will begin on December 14 in Perth.
Pakistan Squad for Australia Test Series: Shan Masood (captain), Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Saud Shakeel and Shaheen Shah Afridi
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