Ex-PCB Chief Sparks Controversy: "We're Not Africa" - Pakistan Blasts Coverage of Ireland Series

Ramiz Raja, a former star of the Pakistan cricket team, was not happy at all with the way the present Twenty20 International series between Ireland and Pakistan was covered. Ireland prevailed in the opening Twenty20 International, but Pakistan struck back to win the second game of the series and set up their own bid for the 2024 Twenty20 World Cup. England and Pakistan will next play four Twenty20 International series. Raja claimed he was unable to follow the action clearly and that the absence of DRS and replays was inappropriate for a match involving Pakistan.

What Raja said on the YouTube?

“One thing which I don't like at all is the coverage of this match. It feels like a club game is being telecast. Only two cameras are there. There's no DRS, no replays, you don't get an idea of the boundary rope, you can't enjoy a good shot being played or good balls being bowled. This is extremely unfair to the Pakistan cricket product. A lot of people love Pakistan cricket. It has an aura around the world. And to present it like this is unfair to Pakistan cricket,” he said on YouTube.

"Someone ought to have discovered this sooner. Whichever broadcasting firm decided to cover it in this manner need to have acquired the rights from Cricket Ireland. Although they own the rights, I believe that because this series represents the start of our journey to the World Cup, the rights should have been revoked and the coverage improved greatly."

"I can say with absolute sure that India would not have let such coverage if they had known about this circumstance. Since your honor lies with you. Thus, they should also be in charge of Pakistan's honor. This kind of coverage makes our cricket appear uninteresting. It's also unjust," he continued.

Raja went on to call the coverage of Pakistan "unfair" and equated it to the broadcast caliber of games involving African countries. "We are not an African nation where our sports receive such inadequate attention. In England, this series is not televised. Sky does not have it accessible. mostly due to the way it is being covered. The former star of Pakistan's cricket team said, "This is unfair to Pakistan."