Ramiz Raja has claimed that the massive loss to India in the Asia Cup 2023 was a psychological dent to Pakistan after they exited the tournament on September 14, Thursday.
In the 2023 Asia Cup, Pakistan’s journey ended in disappointment as they were eliminated from the tournament following a two-wicket defeat to Sri Lanka.
The match, often referred to as the ‘virtual semi-final’, saw Pakistan set a target of 252 runs in 42 overs after rain interrupted the game. Despite a strong performance from their top-order batters, including skipper Babar Azam, Imam-ul-Haq, and Fakhar Zaman, Pakistan were unable to secure a victory.
Sri Lanka’s middle-order batters, particularly Charith Asalanka who scored an unbeaten 49, performed exceptionally well, leading to Sri Lanka’s thrilling last-ball victory.
This defeat meant that there would be no India vs Pakistan final in the 2023 Asia Cup. The India-Pakistan cricket rivalry has always been a highlight of the Asia Cup, with the teams having faced each other 15 times in the ODI format of the tournament.
Earlier in the tournament, India had secured a record 228-run win over Pakistan in a Super 4 match. In this match, held at R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Pakistan were all out after scoring 128 runs against a target of 357 set by India. This significant defeat was marked by a batting collapse from Pakistan, with Indian bowler Kuldeep Yadav picking up five wickets.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, as quoted by Crictracker, Raja said that the massive loss to India was a psychological dent to Pakistan and they carried it to the match against Sri Lanka.
“The massive defeat against India has given a psychological dent to Pakistan. They seemed to carry that loss in this match as well. They looked timid and scared and failed to close out the game. Babar Azam and top order looked over-cautious. They lacked authority,” said Raja.
The former PCB boss was also critical of Fakhar Zaman’s form and also questioned Babar Azam’s captaincy tactics.
“Fakhar Zaman is a walking wicket nowadays. His body language is looking shocking. I think Fakhar should himself refuse to play. On a slower track, Babar has struggled, barring one or two innings. He needs to step up as captain as well. He should take authoritative decisions,” said Raja.
