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Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ramiz Raja has started a new debate after his comments on the Indian cricket team. In his remarks, he went on to say that Indians have started respecting the Pakistan side of late because they feel that the men in green can beat them in any big game on any day.
“Pakistan humesha se underdogs rahein hain jab bhi India se muqabla huye hain, but of late, unhone hume respect dena shuru kardiya hain kyunki unke khayal me yeh hain ki Pakistan hume kabhi hara hi nahi sakte. So yahi main kehta hu ki Pakistan ko credit dijiye kyunki ek billion-dollar team cricket industry ko hum harate hai (Pakistan have always been underdogs whenever they have played against India. But, of late, they have started to give them respect, knowing that they can be beaten in this contest. This is where Pakistan should get credit as the India is a 'billion-dollar' team),” said Raja in a interview with Dawn.
It means a lot to the people from both countries - Ravichandran Ashwin
Although, these comments from Ramiz Raja didn’t go down well with the veteran Indian all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin. He didn’t miss a chance to take a dig at PCB head with a statement that ‘wins and losses don’t set the lines how much respect the opponent would get.
“Respect for the opposition is not something that comes with victories and defeat. It comes with how you are made, and we certainly respect the Pakistani side, and so do they,” said Ashwin in a conversation with reporters after India’s warm-up match against Australia.
“It’s a game of cricket. We don’t play so often, the rivalry is big. It means a lot to the people from both countries but at the end of the day whatever you may say as a cricketer and someone who is playing the sport you do understand that wins and losses are part of the game. Especially in this format, the margins are going to be so close,” he added later.