"People Get Frustrated": Pakistan Cricket Board Chief Ramiz Raja On Pakistan Opening Batter

Ramiz Raja, the head of the Pakistan Cricket Board, responded angrily to a recent comment made by Ahmed Shehzad, the opening batter. The player has been out of favour for a while, and back in 2016, Waqar Younis, his coach at the time, had encouraged him to play domestic cricket again.

Shehzad, 30, responded to the story by claiming it damaged his career. Shehzad has participated in 81 ODIs, 59 T20Is, and 13 Tests. In a T20I match against Sri Lanka in Lahore in October 2019, he made his final appearance for the national squad. 

Let The Bat Do The Talking: Ramiz Raja

Raja has now responded angrily to the statement. 

“See, I too have made comebacks. People get frustrated. They start blaming everyone. I think introspection is needed. When you are out of the team, your patience gets tested, your temperament gets tested, your hard work gets tested.

So, my message to him is, ‘let the bat do the talking’. Keep scoring, there is no way you will be dropped from the team,” Raja said during a press conference on Wednesday. 

“Look at Shan Masood. He has forced himself back in the team through sheer number of runs,” he added. 

I Am Ready To Take On That Challenge: Ahmed Shehzad Determined For Pakistan Team Comeback

Shehzad and Umar Akmal should play domestic cricket to come back into the Pakistan side, according to Younis, who was then the head coach of the Pakistan national team, who recommended this in his 2016 report.

While talking to Cricket Pakistan, Shehzad said: “I have not seen the report myself but a PCB official told me that these remarks have been said regarding me. But I believe that these things should be discussed face-to-face and I am ready to take on that challenge. Then we will see who is right and who is wrong. 

“Maybe I have more things to say and I might even have a bigger reach than them but I opt to stay quiet because you need to live up to your own standards. But their words hurt my career, especially since I was not allowed to present my case.” 

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