Take Out Your "Frustration" Through Performances: PCB Chief Ramiz Raja Tells Pakistan Team

New Zealand abandoning their tour of Pakistan just before the start of the first ODI over a security threat led to a massive backlash on social media, especially from current and former Pakistan players and the team's fans. Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Ramiz Raja too had expressed his disappointment on Friday, saying New Zealand "will hear us at ICC". On Sunday, the PCB chief made an appeal to the fans and the country's cricket team through a video message. Raja, in a video posted on PCB's official Twitter handle, told the Pakistan players to take out whatever "anger or frustration", they might have, through their performances and asked the fans to be the team's strength at the T20 World Cup.

"I want to tell our cricket team that whatever anger or frustration you have, take it out through your performances. If you become the best in the world, then there will be a line of teams wanting to play Pakistan in a series," Ramiz Raja said in his video message.

"I ask the fans to keep supporting Pakistan cricket and become the strength of the team at the T20 World Cup. Your pain and my pain is the same. It's a shared pain," added the former Pakistan batsman.

PCB Chairman Ramiz Raja has a message for Pakistan cricket fans pic.twitter.com/cwEfcQXxus

— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) September 18, 2021

Ramiz Raja, who was appointed PCB chairman earlier this week, said Pakistan cricket has been in difficult situations before as well and has always managed to move forward. 

"Whatever happened, it wasn't good for Pakistan cricket. We have experienced such situations before as well but we have always moved forward. We have a lot of resilience and it's because of the fans, the cricket team. 

"If there is a situation developing where international cricket is again under pressure in Pakistan, we will come out of it and if we can't come out of it, we have enough confidence and strength to make a world class team through our domestic cricket," said the PCB chief.

The New Zealand cricket team arrived in Dubai early Sunday after leaving Pakistan but officials refused to give details of the security threat that forced them to abruptly cancel their tour. 

The BLACKCAPS have arrived in Dubai after leaving Islamabad on a charter flight last night (New Zealand time).

The players and support staff are now settling into their Dubai hotel and undergoing a 24-hour self-isolation.

More informationhttps://t.co/ksZBWLGLrT pic.twitter.com/UBrwwiSQiR

— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) September 18, 2021

While some information had been shared with the Pakistan Cricket Board, "specific details could not, and will not, be disclosed – privately or publicly", New Zealand Cricket chief executive David White said.

"What I can say is that we were advised this was a specific and credible threat against the team," White said.

"We had several conversations with New Zealand government officials before making the decision and it was after informing the PCB of our position that we understand a telephone discussion was conducted between the respective Prime Ministers.

"Unfortunately, given the advice we'd received, there was no way we could stay in the country."

(With AFP inputs)

Topics mentioned in this article

Pakistan Cricket Team New Zealand Cricket Team Ramiz Raja Cricket