PAK vs IRE: "How will Pakistan win World Cup" - Ramiz Raja attacks Babar Azam & Co. after shock defeat vs Ireland

Former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ramiz Raja didn't mince words as he criticized the Pakistan national cricket team after their embarrassing defeat of five wickets against Ireland in the opening game of the ongoing three-match T20I series in Dublin on May 10.

It was Pakistan’s first-ever defeat against Ireland in T20I cricket. With the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 looming in June, the Pakistan cricket team has been actively experimenting with their squad to find the winning formula, for which they have been heavily criticized by former cricketers.

The Men in Green’s struggle continued despite efforts to tweak their lineup. However, there were glimpses of improvement from Saim Ayub, who scored a brisk 45 off 29 balls in the first T20I against Ireland. But Pakistan's middle order once again flopped, as Fakhar Zaman, Azam Khan, and Shadab Khan collectively managed to add just 20 runs to the scoreboard.

You can't defend losing against Ireland: Ramiz Raja

Reflecting on Pakistan's recent performances, Ramiz Raja highlighted their decline in the ICC T20I team rankings, saying it shows the actual condition of the national team. The Men in Green were once a formidable team in the format, but now they are ranked seventh in the ICC T20I team rankings.

Rubbing salt on the Pakistan team’s wounds, Ramiz said that this drop in rankings exactly shows the national team's current situation, as he called for swift improvements ahead of the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024, starting on June 1 in the USA and Caribbean.

Ramiz Raja said on his YouTube Channel: “You can't defend losing against Ireland. The body language looks weak, you have made combinations that have affected the team. The team was doing well, but the captaincy was changed and then the new captain was replaced with the previous one. In a World Cup year, the team has fallen to seventh position in the T20I rankings and this shows the actual condition of the team.”

How will Pakistan win the T20 World Cup 2024?

Ramiz Raja has also expressed serious concerns about Pakistan's chances in the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024, given their inconsistent performances and frequent changes in the squad.

Ramiz pointed out several areas of weakness in the team, including the unsettled opening pair, the inability of set batters to capitalize on their starts, and the lack of stability in the middle order.

Questioning how Pakistan will reach the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup 2024, the former skipper stressed that the Men in Green must emulate the consistency and efficiency shown by teams like India and Australia and establish a solid combination to win the matches.

Raja signed off by saying, “How will Pakistan win the World Cup, you don't have a combination, the opening pair is not set, the set batters lose their wickets and the middle order doesn't function well. In the current situation, how will Pakistan go to the semi-finals? You know the capability of the team and you want them to play like India, Australia or you want to produce a player like Travis Head. The middle order is not set. Top stars are leaking a lot of runs.”