Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ramiz Raja recently made a remark on Virat Kohli and the comparisons of the fans of India and Pakistan. This hasn’t gone down well with many including former Pakistan captain Salman Butt, who has slammed Raja for his irrelevant “dig” at the Indian star.
During the Asia Cup 2022, Kohli had broken his century drought as he slammed 122* off 61 balls in India’s last Super 4 match against Afghanistan. Even though India had failed to reach the final, Kohli’s return to form was celebrated by the Indian fans and was the biggest positive from the tournament.
Pakistani fans, on the other hand, had mercilessly trolled and criticised their team, which lost the Asia Cup final to Sri Lanka.
Ramiz Raja’s remark on Kohli’s century is slammed
On this matter, Ramiz Raja said that the Indian team should have also been criticised heavily (which they were if Ramiz hadn’t been following the Indian media), but instead, he felt, Kohli’s century overshadowed India’s Super 4 exit.
“India should then have been severely criticised for not reaching the final. But that is not what their fans and media do. I’ll tell you…when Virat Kohli scored a century against Afghanistan, they forgot their entire Asia Cup. Will we ever do that?” Ramiz had said in a chat with Samaa TV.
Unimpressed with this statement by the PCB boss, Salman Butt reckoned there was no need for Raja to take a “dig” at Kohli and the Indian media and fans. Butt said Raja’ seemed “frustrated” and his statement lacked any logic.
“There was absolutely no need to take a dig. Aap relevant example bhi nahi de sakte. Vo duniya ka top player, he’s only the second (third) man in entire history of cricket jiske 70+ hundred hai. Beherhaal, I don’t know.. he is frustrated. Maybe he’s got some news, jo baakiyon ko kuch dino baad milegi. Unhone aur bhi kayi baat ki hai jinka koi mettle ya logic nahi tha. Bas satehi baatein ki hain,” Salman Butt said on his official YouTube channel.
(You can’t even give relevant examples. He’s only the third man in cricket history with 70+ international tons. He is frustrated. Maybe he has some news that others will get a few days later. He said a lot of others thing that didn’t have any logic. It’s just superficial talks.)
After the Asia Cup, while India defeated Australia and South Africa in the home T20I series, Pakistan were beaten by a largely second-string England side at home.
Both India and Pakistan will meet at the T20 World Cup on October 23 in Melbourne.
