Pakistan may have missed the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 semi-finals, but the team’s experts stole the spotlight with outlandish statements. Throughout the event, Pakistan claimed the ICC provided special balls to Indian bowlers, altering the pitch to favor the opposition’s bowlers. Former Pakistan cricketer turned commentator, Ramiz Raja, claimed that Cristiano Ronaldo’s diet is planned by NASA scientists, a statement that has gone viral on social media, making Raja the target of heavy trolling.
Raja took over as PCB chairman in September 2021 but was dismissed after Pakistan’s 0-3 Test series defeat against England in December 2022. Pakistan had a disappointing campaign at the 2023 ODI World Cup, finishing fifth in the points table with only four victories out of nine matches. After Babar’s resignation, Shan Masood has been appointed as the new Test captain, and Shaheen Afridi has been made the T20I captain. The captain for the Pakistan ODI team has not yet been disclosed by the PCB.
The PCB has made changes to its management structure, appointing Wahab Riaz as Chief Selector and Mohammad Hafeez as the Team Director of the Pakistan Men’s Cricket Team.