Pakistani social media can sense the fun looming around the corner. Prime Minister Imran Khan has just hinted he will likely pick commentator and former cricketer Ramiz Raja as the next chairman of Pakistan Cricket Board. That, according to Pakistani Twitter, may just spell doom for every cricketer who took a swipe at or engaged in a war of words with the ‘Rambo’ in the past.
According to Geo News, PM Imran Khan held a meeting Monday with the current PCB chairman Ehsan Mani and Ramiz Raja. Soon after, congratulatory messages and memes began to pour in on social media, with #RamizRaja trending on Twitter.
Mohammad Hafeez is at the top of the list of Pakistani Twitter. The opening batsman had remarked last November that his “12-year-old son’s game awareness is better than Ramiz Raja”.
Rambo after taking the charge.
For context, Hafeez recently said that his 12 years son has more Cricketing sense than Ramiz Raja#ramizraja #PCBChairman pic.twitter.com/ySp8Z6knUP
— Hamza Kaleem (@HKaleem23) August 23, 2021
Pic; 1)"My 12-year-old son has better game awareness than Ramiz Raja"?✌️(M.Hafeez)
Pic; 2) Ramiz Raja is the New Chairman of PCB??#Cricket #ramizraja #WIvPAK #WTC23 pic.twitter.com/Nefhqgzoc3
— Ayemanmalik01?? (@Ayemanmalik01) August 23, 2021
Hafeez Reaction after Ramiz Raja's Appointment as Chairman PCB ?#ramizraja pic.twitter.com/ibtnU58GxE
— SaAd MaLiK (@SaAdDmaLikK) August 23, 2021
Ramiz Raja likely Muhammad
to confirm as PCB Hafeez
Chairman. #RamizRaja #ChairmanPCB pic.twitter.com/cmqB6xHcxM
— Huzaifa??? (@_beinghuzaifa) August 22, 2021
Searching for
1- M Hafeez
2-M Yusuf
3-Tanveer Ahmed#ramizraja pic.twitter.com/IUvZyacVmD
— Shuaib Rehman (@ShoaibRaahman) August 24, 2021
Then there is Shoaib Malik with whom Ramiz Raja had a tiff over his suggestion that the middle-order batsman should “retire gracefully”. Malik had responded to Raja’s remark then with a tweet, asking him to do the same.
Yes @iramizraja bhai agreed. Since all 3 of us are the end of our careers let’s retire gracefully together – I’ll call and let’s plan this for 2022? ? @MHafeez22 #jokes https://t.co/vTwf9zzYOC
— Shoaib Malik ?? (@realshoaibmalik) April 8, 2020
Naturally, Pakistani Twitter was present here too.
Hearing Ramiz Raja is going to be new PCB chairman pic.twitter.com/ucNLyF0bTf
— Saifi (@Saifiii_says) August 23, 2021
One of Pakistan’s all-time best batsmen Mohammad Yousuf, whom the PCB last year appointed as the batting coach of its High-Performance centre in Lahore, is another figure Twitter users will be keeping an eye on. They were quick to recall his argument with Raja during a televised debate where “YOUSUF TOOK RAMIZ FOR CLEANERS”.
THROW BACK TO WHEN M YOUSUF TOOK RAMIZ FOR CLEANERS….#ramizraja #ChairmanPCB #PAKvWI #WIvPAK pic.twitter.com/cFJqC3vlGn
— Noman Akram (@M_NomanAkram) August 23, 2021
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Official detractors
Former Pakistani pace bowler Sarfraz Nawaz wrote a letter to Imran Khan urging him not to pick Ramiz Raja as PCB chief because “his appointment will be against the national sentiments and also severely hurting the patriotic feelings of the entire nation”, Dawn reported.
In his letter to the PM, Nawaz wrote that Ramiz Raja had “shamelessly advised Pakistan to become shameless by accepting the Indian supremacy and domination in the ICC”. Nawaz instead recommended former cricketer Majid Khan and former ICC president Zaheer Abbas as possible candidates.
PMLN senator Afnan Ullah Khan judged Raza as a “great sycophant”, which is “finally paying off”.
Years and years of boot polishing is finally paying off. Congratulations #ramizraja on being appointed as Chairman PCB.
You are indeed a great sycophant and your leader Imran Khan is a great nepotist pic.twitter.com/zvkWk7H9jV
— Senator Dr. Afnan Ullah Khan (@afnanullahkh) August 24, 2021
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Many are happy for ‘Rambo’
Ramiz Raja has a considerable fan following, largely because of his commentary. And so, not everyone was in a foul mood over the news of his possible appointment as the PCB chief. They congratulated him wholeheartedly.
#ramizraja
Welcome @iramizraja as a new Chairman PCB.
Best decision by PMIK. pic.twitter.com/f9T7pvtJ7h
— Farhan Haider (@HaiderISF) August 23, 2021
I like this decision as It'll be first time for me to see an ex-cricketer to head PCB as it should be in common sense a cricket board is run by a cricketer #ramizraja pic.twitter.com/lAuutTXLrH
— Rafia Khan #Babarian (@_Rafia_Khan) August 23, 2021
None of the criticism or trolling seem to have affected Raja as he spoke openly after meeting the PM about the ‘inconsistent’ form of the national squad during major international tournaments and how the team is ‘not capable’ to move past the pool stages. He said that he spoke about the progress and current state of the sport in the country and discussed steps to improve the quality of the game.
Ehsan Mani is expected to hold office of PCB chairperson until 25 August, after which Raja will likely take over. Regardless of who becomes the next PCB chief, Pakistan cricket fans, ready with their popcorns, are not complaining.
(Edited by Prashant Dixit)