Last month, Prime Minister Imran Khan, in his role as protector of the PCB, nominated Ramiz Raja to the governing jury. He was popularly elected during a gathering in Lahore.
Former Pakistan captain and renowned commentator Ramiz Raja was elected unopposed Monday as the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board for three years.
Khan and Raja were teammates on the 1992 World Cup squad that beat England in the final.
“One of my key focuses will be to help introduce in the Pakistan men’s cricket team the same culture, mindset, attitude, and approach that once made Pakistan one of the most feared cricket-playing nations,” Raja told the governing board members.
“As an organization, we all need to get behind the national team and provide them the desired assistance and support so that they can produce that brand of cricket, which the fans also expect from them each time they step onto the field of play.”
The 59-year-old Raja, whose elder brother Wasim also represented their country in Test matches, is the only fourth former Pakistan international cricketer to head the cricket board. Abdul Hafeez Kardar, Javed Burki, and Ijaz Butt are the others.
Khan had shortlisted Raja’s name after Ehsan Mani declined to accept a short-term extension when his three-year term expired last month.
Raja scored 2,833 runs in 57 Test matches and 5,841 runs in 198 ODIs before quitting in 1997. He also served as chief executive of the PCB but established his name more when he took up commentary and became the “voice of Pakistan.”
‘Impossible right now’: Raja on bilateral cricket with India
Raja said the resumption of bilateral assignments with India is “impossible right now” and he is “not in a hurry” for it either as his focus is solely on his country’s domestic circuit at this point.
“Impossible right now because the sporting model has been spoiled by politics and right now it is a status quo and we are not in a hurry on this issue because we have to focus on our domestic and local cricket,” he said.
Raja was also asked about the India-Pakistan match in the coming T20 World Cup in Dubai. The game is due on October 24.
“It is a show stopper and when I met with the Pakistan team players I told them I want the tables to be turned this time and the team must be 100 percent operational for the match and to do well in it,” he said.
Ramiz Raja recruits Matthew Hayden and Vernon Philander.
Straight away after coming into action, Ramiz Raja is not going to hold back as he appoints Matthew Hayden as the batting coach till the T20 World Cup. While Vernon Philander is appointed as the bowling coach for the T20 World Cup.
With such a blooming career of 161 ODI matches and scoring over 6133 runs, Matthew Hayden will be very valuable to the Pakistan side in the World Cups. Hayden has the experience of playing the T20 world cup in 2007 along with his contribution to the IPL in Chennai Super Kings with MS Dhoni.
Vernon Philander also has featured in the T20 world cup 2007 edition. But apart from that his T20 experience is low. However, his bowling is as classy as Steyn or any other pace bowler.
