“Just missed his face, not sure if it’s a good thing or not” - Ramiz Raja’s shocking piece of commentary during SA vs PAK 2024 2nd T20I
Former Pakistan cricketer Ramiz Raja let out a puzzling comment on air during the second T20I between the Men in Green and South Africa at the Super Sport Park in Centurion on Friday, December 13. The former PCB chairman drew criticism for the remarks he made after Pakistan pacer Shaheen Afridi was hit on the shoulder while bowling.
During the 17th over of the innings, when South Africa were inching closer to chasing down the 207-run target, Afridi was introduced into the attack for the final set of deliveries in his spell. After being dispatched for a four by Rassie van der Dussen to begin the over, the left-arm bowler copped a blow as the batter attempted a full-blooded slog down the ground.
Afridi tried to stop the ball with his hands during the follow-through. However, he did not have sufficient time to react due to the sheer force with which the stroke was hit. The team physio attended to the bowler, who went on to continue the remainder of his over, finishing with figures of 0-37.
While there was an air of concern over the incident, Ramiz Raja had the viewers puzzled with his surprising take on the matter.
"Just missed his face, not sure if it's a good thing or not," Ramiz Raja said (via Wisden).
After losing the second T20I by seven wickets, Pakistan conceded the series, with a game to spare. The Men in Green had lost the series opener by 11 runs. New skipper Mohammad Rizwan is still searching for his first win following the series loss to Australia recently.
Ramiz Raja was recently lambasted for mocking Shan Masood during an interaction
Ramiz Raja has often made the headlines for his controversial remarks on Pakistan cricket. His recent interaction with Shan Masood after the team's series win over England at home, where he mocked the skipper's losing streak as captain, was panned by fans.
"How did you achieve this, six losses in a row?" Ramiz Raja asked Masood about the series losses to Australia and Bangladesh (via NDTV).
The former player defended himself on social media after the backlash
"I asked a couple of questions, and my goal wasn't to belittle anyone or cast Pakistan's victory in a negative light. As a commentator, the more Pakistan wins, the more opportunities open up for all of us in the cricketing ecosystem," Raja responded.
Shaheen Afridi has not been selected for the Test series against South Africa, with white-ball formats and the upcoming 2025 Champions Trophy being the current priority for PCB.