Watch: Ramiz Raja explodes, breaks silence on controversial Shan Masood interview

Former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ramiz Raja has finally broken his silence on his controversial interview with Pakistan red-ball captain Shan Masood.

Ramiz Raja, along with Zainab Abbas, conducted an interview of Shan Masood after the conclusion of Pakistan vs England Test series, and the former PCB chairman came under fire for the questions he asked the Test captain.

Ramiz Raja slammed by many after his infamous interview

Under the leadership of Masood, the Pakistan National Cricket Team started off the Test series against the England National Cricket Team with a humiliating loss. It was the sixth consecutive loss of Masood as captain.

However, Pakistan bounced back strong and outplayed England, thanks to spinners Sajid Khan and Noman Ali. The spin-bowling duo demolished the English batting unit in both matches and helped Pakistan win a Test series at home after over 1300 days.

Masood was a happy captain, and after the third match, he was interviewed by Ramiz Raja and Zainab. During the interaction, Raja's question about Pakistan’s six consecutive losses sparked criticism from fans and former players, like Mohammad Amir, who felt that the former PCB chairman was mocking the Test captain.

"There are two things that you will see. One is how to play on seaming conditions and the other thing is if it is a one-off. How did you achieve this, six losses in a row?" Ramiz Raja had asked Shan Masood to which the Pakistan captain responded calmly. Watch here:

Never forget that Ramiz Raja was one of the worst chairmen Pakistan have ever had whose negative effects can still be felt. And now he has the audacity to taunt Pakistan’s captain after a series win just because his favourite was left out.

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— Cricket & Stuff (@cricketandstuff) October 26, 2024

I asked a couple of questions, and my goal wasn’t to belittle anyone or cast Pakistan's victory in a negative light - Ramiz Raja

Ramiz Raja opened up about the controversy speaking on his official YouTube channel. He said that his intentions were never to belittle anyone, and while talking about the outrage on social media, he said that it is part of the landscape.

"I asked a couple of questions, and my goal wasn’t to belittle anyone or cast Pakistan's victory in a negative light. As a commentator, the more Pakistan wins, the more opportunities open up for all of us in the cricketing ecosystem,” Raja said.

"Pakistan zinda hi social media pe hai" (Pakistan lives on social media)," he further said.

If I lived my life based on social media narratives, I wouldn’t be in this field - Ramiz Raja

Ramiz Raja, who looked quite furious while speaking on the matter, further said that he doesn't care about what people think about him on social media. He also said that his intention was not to question Masood's leadership abilities.

“If I lived my life based on social media narratives, I wouldn’t be in this field. There are many uninformed opinions from people who haven’t played cricket but act like experts.”

"When Bangladesh won 2-0, I didn’t ask for anyone to be removed. Why would I question Shan's captaincy after a series win?" Raja added.

Ramiz Raja gives explanation on controversial questions from Shan Masood! pic.twitter.com/egCOgQfSCs

— Arfa Feroz Zake (@ArfaSays_) October 28, 2024