Pakistan's journey in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 may have concluded without reaching the semi-finals, but the nation's cricket experts grabbed attention with their unconventional statements during the tournament. Amid claims of special balls favouring Indian bowlers and pitch alterations, former cricketer-turned commentator Ramiz Raja added to the mix with a statement that has ignited the internet. Raja boldly said that legendary footballer Cristiano Ronaldo's diet is planned by NASA scientists. The video of this assertion quickly went viral on social media, leading to Raja facing substantial trolling.
"Ronaldo's ki jo diet plan hai vo NASA ke scientists set karte hain (Ronaldo's diet plan is curated by scientists at NASA)," Ramiz said on Suno News. With the video getting instantly viral on social media, the 61-year-old has been subject to a lot of trolling.
Raja, who assumed the role of PCB chairman in September 2021, faced an abrupt end to his tenure after Pakistan's devastating 0-3 Test series defeat against England in December 2022. The Men in Green's performance at the 2023 ODI World Cup added to the disappointment. Eliminated in the group stage, they secured the fifth position in the points table with only four victories out of nine matches, leaving fans and critics disenchanted.
Following Babar Azam's resignation from captaincy across formats, Shan Masood has been appointed as the new Test captain, while fast bowler Shaheen Afridi assumes the T20I captaincy. However, the captain for the Pakistan ODI team is yet to be disclosed by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
In response to the team's lacklustre performance, several changes have been made to the management structure. Former fast bowler Wahab Riaz is now the Chief Selector, succeeding Inzamam ul Haq, who resigned during the World Cup. Additionally, former Pakistan all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez takes on the role of Team Director for the Pakistan Men's Cricket Team.
