Ramiz Raja blasts Pakistan after crushing defeat to India

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Former Cricket World Cup winner Ramiz Raja has blasted Pakistan following their crushing seven-wicket loss to arch-rivals India in Ahmedabad.

Ramiz slammed Pakistan for failing to live up to the occasion and compete with India in their highly-anticipated clash, while revealing concern for what the loss could mean for his former side’s ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 campaign.

Pakistan looked on track to set India a challenging target as captain Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan carried them to 155/2 before a stunning collapse had them all out for 191.

Skipper Rohit Sharma (86) then led the way as India brushed aside the Pakistan attack to clinch an emphatic victory with almost 20 overs to spare.

"This should hurt Pakistan because they weren't able to compete,” Ramiz said on the latest episode of The ICC Review podcast.

"When you're playing against India obviously it's such an environment where it's 99 per cent India fans and crowds, you're obviously overwhelmed. I understand all of that.

"But Babar Azam has led this side for a good four or five years, so you've got to rise to the occasion.

"If you can't win, then at least compete. Pakistan weren't able to do that.”

Pakistan had impressed with wins over Netherlands and Sri Lanka in their opening two matches of the Cricket World Cup as they fine-tuned for the crunch clash with India.

But a poor performance means Pakistan have now lost to their rivals in all eight of their Cricket World Cup meetings going back to their first clash in the tournament in 1992.

Ramiz believes that Pakistan are weighed down by the horrific record against India while holding out hope that they can turn it around if the teams cross paths again at the pointy end of the tournament. 

"It's a reality and Pakistan have got to do something about it, Ramiz said.

"They can't be termed as 'chokers' against India because that's not a great tag to have. Somehow it's a mental block, it's a skill block as well.

"Credit to India for maintaining their presence in World Cup competitions against Pakistan, it's not an easy match for India also because there are emotions involved, there are expectations involved.

"Then you're supposed to win because it has been happening for so many years that this can get you under a little bit of extra pressure. But they've handled it so well.

With two early victories Pakistan are still well-placed in the Cricket World Cup standings as they eye a critical top-four finish to secure a semi-final berth.

But Pakistan have little margin for error in their remaining six matches starting with a high-stakes clash against Australia on 20 Australia.

Ramiz pinpointed what Pakistan need to do to learn from the bitter defeat to their rivals and then quickly turn their focus toward their remaining matches.

"It's going to hurt them. It's a scarring, it's a pasting, it's a battering and they've been outpaced and outplayed in all the three departments,” Ramiz said.

"Babar Azam and the senior players will have to rally around some of the young kids and have got to find an answer.

"They've got to be brutally honest in those team meetings. I think that is where Pakistan need to start.

"On the drawing board saying that our spin has been struggling, we shouldn't get out after scoring 50 or a 49, and what were the tailenders doing?”