PAK vs ENG: Ramiz Raja faces backlash after Babar Azam remarks following Multan Test win

Following Pakistan’s resounding victory against England in the second PAK v ENG Test, fans on social media were quick to troll former captain and ex-chief of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Ramiz Raja, over his recent comments about Babar Azam. Pakistan leveled the Test series 1-1 after securing a 152-run win, with spinner Noman Ali delivering a standout performance, claiming eight wickets in the match.

Noman's stunning 8-46, combined with Sajid Khan’s 2-93, helped dismiss England for 144 in their second innings after Pakistan set a challenging target of 297. This win marked Pakistan’s first home Test victory since their triumph against South Africa in February 2021.

However, amid the celebrations, Ramiz Raja faced backlash for his remarks about the lack of star power in Pakistan's current squad. Raja had previously downplayed the significance of Pakistan’s players after Babar Azam was excluded from the squad for the remaining matches against England.

“We need to understand he [Babar] sells cricket for Pakistan and there is always this debate happening in Pakistan on whether it’s going to be another failure for Babar Azam or whether he is going to make a comeback and that keeps things interesting. Right now, I don’t see any sellable commodity in this Pakistan team,” said Raja. “The sponsors are little wary as well because Pakistan have been on a losing sequence and there are no real superstars playing in this Test match.”

Following the victory, fans took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to express their displeasure with Raja's comments. One user emphasized that the team needed support and recognition rather than sponsorship-driven branding, sharing a collage of Pakistan’s key players, including Noman Ali, Sajid Khan, and Kamran Ghulam.

Another fan referenced a previous statement by former Pakistan cricketer Mohammad Hafeez, in which he criticized Ramiz Raja's cricketing mindset.

“Next Test, we need to bring back the superstar so our sponsors can be happy. Embarrassing from Pakistan,” a user sarcastically remarked, taking a jab at Raja's comment.