Ramiz Raja criticizes Pakistan pacers, Saim Ayub and coverage of Ireland series

Former Pakistan cricketer, Ramiz Raja, has expressed scathing criticism against Pakistan's bowling performance and the subpar coverage during the ongoing series against Ireland. 

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Raja addressed Pakistan's bowling woes, particularly in the second T20I against Ireland where they conceded 193/7.

"They conceded 200 runs against Ireland and it seemed as if our bowlers were behind, If they had taken the catches of Rizwan and and Zaman it would have become difficult for Pakistan to chase the target," Raja said.

Expressing apprehension, Raja underscored the importance of Pakistan's bowlers, especially the pacers, whose inconsistency has been a persistent issue since the previous year's World Cup in India. 

"Pakistan's top bowlers giving away so many runs against Ireland, then it will become hard for the team in future. Pakistan's forte, and success are based on the bowlers, especially pacers, they have been struggling since last year's World Cup in India. Two balls are good and then three deliveries are bad, this makes the situation tough," he further added.

Raja added another layer of critique, focusing on the team's opening options. He expressed skepticism about the effectiveness of Saim Ayub as an opening batsman, emphasizing the need for consistency and reliability at the top of the order.

"I don't think Saim Ayub gives you security, he shows flashes of brilliance. If you don't score 50 off 30 balls then breaking Rizwan and Babar's opening duo doesn't make any sense," Raja said.

Beyond the on-field performance, Raja turned his attention to the lackluster coverage of the matches, labeling them as akin to "club matches." He criticized the minimal camera coverage, inadequate replays, which diminish the viewing experience for fans. 

One thing I want to point out is the coverage, which has been quite poor. These matches are appearing as some club matches. There are only a couple of cameras, no DRS, no replays, lack of clarity in boundaries, there is no real enjoyment in watching shot or a good ball. This is hurting our brand," he concluded.