Former PCB chief lashes out at Pakistan's tactics after loss against West Indies

Ramiz Raja, speaking on Pakistan's loss against the West Indies in the second Test, expressed his frustration over the team's strategy and performance. He highlighted how Pakistan's approach to creating spin-friendly pitches backfired, turning the match into a lottery that heavily depended on the toss.  

He said, "It's difficult to explain or justify this defeat. The strategy seemed to be focused on exploiting spin-friendly conditions, especially against the West Indies, who aren’t traditionally known for their strength against spin. However, the brutal nature of the pitch meant that winning the toss became crucial." 

"When you lose the toss and fail to capitalize on the conditions, you leave yourself vulnerable, as we saw in the second Test," he added.   

Ramiz also pointed out Pakistan’s inconsistency when playing against weaker sides. 

"This is the frustrating part of our cricket. Against top teams, we raise our game, but when facing weaker teams, we drop our standards and play at their level. Basic mistakes that you don't expect from a team like Pakistan were on full display," he further added.  

Talking about the role of spinning pitches, he said, "The idea of creating spin-friendly tracks isn’t wrong, but the execution needs to be balanced. You need to prepare pitches where, even if you lose the toss, you still have a chance to fight. Instead, we ended up with a pitch where batting became a lottery, and our fragile batting line-up couldn’t survive the pressure."

He criticized the batting approach, saying, "Our batsmen lack the confidence to handle spin in pressure situations, especially when close-in fielders are present. They panic, play rash shots, and throw away their wickets. This is a recurring issue that the team hasn’t learned from, as the same mistakes were repeated in the second innings." 

Ramiz Raja also raised concerns about the team’s overall preparation and mindset.

"If you’re relying on spin to win matches, then you need to select players who can play spin confidently, both in batting and bowling." 

"You also need spinners who can handle the pressure and deliver consistently. Instead, we saw a lack of impact from both departments, with even a West Indies spinner, unknown to many before the series, outshining our players," he added.   

He concluded by emphasizing the need for a long-term strategy. 

"This loss isn’t just about one match or one series. It reflects poorly on Pakistan’s standing in Test cricket. Fans lose interest, and the team’s reputation suffers when performances are inconsistent. If we don’t address these issues, stronger teams will expose these weaknesses even more," he concluded.   

The West Indies delivered a spin-bowling masterclass to defeat Pakistan by 120 runs in the second and final Test of the series, leveling the contest at 1-1. This victory marked the West Indies' first Test win on Pakistan’s home soil in 34 years, with their last triumph dating back to 1990.