Billion-dollar ki industry waali teams peeche rah gayi hai aur hum upar nikal gaye hai: PCB Chief Ramiz Raja

Pakistan beat favourites New Zealand in the first semi-final of the T20 World Cup 2022 to reach the final, against all odds. Pakistan's Super 12 Group 2 campaign started with a narrow defeat against India and a shock loss against Zimbabwe but won the remaining three games to finish in the second spot with six points. 

The bowlers did a great job to restrict New Zealand to a 152/4 total while bowling first in the semi-final clash and then Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan smashed half-centuries to guide Pakistan to an easy seven-wicket win. Babar and Rizwan struggled for the big knocks throughout the tournament but performed when it mattered the most. Star pacer Shaheen Afridi also recovered from his below-average start and has taken nine wickets from the last three games. 

Apart from New Zealand, other favorites Australia and South Africa failed to even reach the semi-final round while India lost the second semi-final clash against England on Thursday (November 10). Many cricketing fans were hoping for a potential India-Pakistan final but had to settle for a Pakistan-England clash.

We are doing something right: Ramiz Raja

Pakistani and Indian cricket teams' relationship took an ugly turn when the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) recently decided not to travel to Pakistan for the scheduled 2023 Asia Cup. In a reply, Pakistan Cricket Board reportedly threatened to boycott the 2024 One-Day World Cup which is scheduled to take place in India.

Now Pakistani fans are enjoying their team's dream run in the tournament and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Ramiz Raja also praised the team's performance in the tournament but he also took a cheeky dig at tournament favorites.

“Billion dollar ki industry waali teams peeche rah gayi hai aur hum upar nikal gaye hai (Teams with billion dollar leagues are falling behind us). We are doing something right,” Ramiz Raja told reporters on his arrival at MCG.

Pakistan now face England in the final at Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday (November 13). Prior to the tournament, England beat Pakistan in the seven-match T20I series and are favourites to win the final on Sunday. But Ramiz has predicted both teams will have an equal chance in the final, "In the finals, there are no clear favourites, it will be a 50-50 game."