Is Ramiz Raja sending warning to opposition teams ahead of 20-20 World Cup 2022 final?
Ramiz Raja, Pakistan Cricket Team (Image Credit: Twitter)
After the ‘favor’ from the Netherlands and beating Bangladesh to reach the semis, the 2009 winners have qualified for the final. In the first semifinal between Pakistan and New Zealand, the Babar Azam-led side brushed aside the Kiwis in all departments of the game. After being asked to bowl, they ensured that the 2021 finalist doesn’t post a big total on the board.
Thanks to Pakistan’s fantastic fielding and bowling, they restricted the opposition to 152/4. Even though they didn’t take too many wickets, they ensured that they saved enough runs in the field that proved vital. Chasing 153, the ‘out-of-form’ opening pair in the Super 12 round, the skipper himself and wicketkeeper batter scored the fifties and ensured that Kane Williamson’s men were never in the game.
Not many teams would have risen like Pakistan: Ramiz Raja
After the win, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairperson Ramiz Raja showered praises on the team. He took to Twitter and said that not many teams would have risen as Pakistan did in the ongoing tournament.
“#PakvsNz A perfect 10! Very few teams in world cricket would have risen to the occasion like Pakistan did today. Melbourne here we come again #WC92,” Raja said in his tweet.
https://twitter.com/iramizraja/status/1590404964517810176?s=20&t=9n7emQB2rhthwT9lekeGzA
Notably, the former champions were almost knocked out of the tournament. After losing to India and Zimbabwe, the team was staring down an early exit from the tournament. Things got so bad that they were dependent on other teams to reach the semis of the tournament. This reminded the fans of the 2019 ODI World Cup where things went the same way for the team.
However, thanks to them winning three games in the ongoing showpiece event and a stroke of luck, they qualified for the semis. The stroke of luck came into play after the Netherlands upset South Africa. With this result, Pakistan had a ‘real chance’ of qualifying for the semis by beating Bangladesh. Pakistan did the needful and is now in the final.
