Ramiz Raja warns Pakistan team ahead of ICC World Cup

02 October, 2023

Following Pakistan's defeat in a practice game, where they scored 345, Raja highlighted the importance of adapting to challenging pitches, particularly in India, and urged the team to strive for higher run totals, citing defensive starts in their batting as a concern.

He called for a shift towards a more proactive and risk-taking strategy to bolster their performance in the upcoming Cricket World Cup.

"I know it was just a practice game, but a win is a win. And winning becomes a habit. But I feel Pakistan are now getting a habit of losing. First they lost in Asia Cup, and now here. Pakistan scored 345 and it was a great run-chase. If these are the pitches – and you will get such pitches in India – you will have to score 400 if your bowling keeps misfiring like this. You will have to change your tactics, take risks. And we don't do that. We play defensively for first 10-15 overs and then shift gears," he said.

Pakistan is scheduled to play their second warmup match against Australia on October 03, in Hyderabad.

Their official 2023 World Cup journey will commence on October 06, facing off against Netherlands at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, Hyderabad.