'Pakistan cricket has collapsed', Ramiz Raja blasts PCB after World Cup exit

Former Pakistan skipper Ramiz Raja has slammed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), claiming that the country's cricket "has collapsed".

The Green Shirts crashed out of the World Cup 2023 on Saturday after failing to restrict England at a low total and chasing down the target in the required overs to surpass New Zealand in net run rate (NRR) to make it to the semis.

The Men in Green's outing further turned sour as they suffered a 93-run defeat at the hands of the defending champions in their last-round match and were bowled out at 244 runs while chasing England's 338-run target.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, the former PCB chairman said: "When you [bowlers] don't take wickets with the new ball and start getting expensive [conceding runs], how would Babar do captaincy then?"

"And then they [PCB] would gather some ex-cricketers and ask them how to fix cricket? Who put them in charge [of the board]? Is their job just to huddle together and change the captain and the coaching staff and everyone would think they have taken a major step?"

The ex-cricketer called for putting an end to the process of leaking news and giving statements during a big event and also heavily criticised the newly-appointed interim chief selector Tauseef Ahmed.

"Not even an inch of Pakistan's cricket can get better if you don't have passion for the game. You need to change yourself and your mindset. You need to shut this process of leaking news to your favourite reporters," he added.

"The new chief selector that you've appointed, look at his old clips and how badly he has talked about Babar and [Mohammad] Rizwan, you want your cricket to progress by appointing a 70-year-old who knows nothing about selection?"

The 1992 World Cup winner then said that Pakistan cricket has collapsed and also talked about the problems with local clubs.

"Pakistan cricket has collapsed. You can't bat, bowl or field with spikes in club matches. On weekends, the grounds where clubs practice are given to the companies to organise tennis-ball cricket because it gives them [the clubs] money."

"This entire system needs to change and the board should change itself first," he concluded.

Remember, Pakistan's World Cup campaign ended with eight points out of a possible 18 as the Men in Green emerged victorious in four games while tasting defeat in five.

Pakistan have now failed to qualify for the World Cup semi-final for the fifth time this century as their last appearance was in the 2011 World Cup semi-final against India, which they lost.