India, Pakistan should play each other in World Test Championship: Raja

Pakistan’s former cricketer-turned-commentator Ramiz Raja, in a video on the YouTube channel Cricket Bazz on Thursday, said that arch-rivals Pakistan and India should play each other in the next cycle of World Test Championship (WTC).

The 58-year-old believes that there should be a separate window for WTC inorder to attract more sponsorship for the longest format of the game.

“The current format was lopsided and prolonged and it made no sense not having India and Pakistan series. Teams didn’t play the same number of matches and even the points system was weird. There should have been a 3-month window and everyone should have played against each other,” said Ramiz.

“Next time when the WTC is held no cricket should be held at that time, if you want to promote Test cricket and infuse life into it and also attract sponsors to this format. Sponsorship will only come when you will not give sponsors any other option to park their money,” he added.

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Former Pakistan captain is also concerned with Pakistan’s poor away record in recent times and wants Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to start their planning early for better preparation for future foreign tours.

“The condition of our away tours is bad. I don’t mind if you fight and lose, but if you already know that you are going to South Africa, Australia, England, New Zealand and you will lose, so how will your fan base increase and how will you get confidence in the system,” he said.

“Pakistan should plan six months before any foreign tour and identify which areas they need to work upon when you are going for any away tour. The new lot that is coming, you need to train them like that. In that regard, we are behind because of which there is frustration. But if we will play more at home and win, so it will help us and we will go with confidence on away tours,” he concluded.