Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board Ramiz Raja briefly lost his cool during a press conference when a reporter asked him about player's coldness towards the media. When a reporter asked Raja the reason behind it, and in a sarcastic tone, mentioned that the PCB chairman has often used the media as a platform to highlight his work but hasn’t allowed the players to interact with the press, the former Pakistan captain hit back saying it is media that is responsible for the downfall for their strained relationship with the cricketers.
"You said a very nice thing that speaking to the media is like a time waste for you. But at the same time, it is the media that is sitting in front of you that will portray your point of view. This is not me saying that you have taken the support of media to highlight your work. Before you became PCB chairman, you had mentioned a two-way channel of communication between the players and media but we haven’t seen that either in your tenure. Players have been hidden from media in a manner that we are their biggest enemies…," the reporter said.
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In reply, Raja was quick to counterpoint the reporter and brought up how the media treated former PCB chief executive Waseem Khan during one of his sessions. Raja further pointed out that the Pakistan media has opted to sensationalise stuff with extravagant headlines instead of reporting important matters, which is why players are 'afraid' of having interactions.
{{/usCountry}}In reply, Raja was quick to counterpoint the reporter and brought up how the media treated former PCB chief executive Waseem Khan during one of his sessions. Raja further pointed out that the Pakistan media has opted to sensationalise stuff with extravagant headlines instead of reporting important matters, which is why players are 'afraid' of having interactions.
{{/usCountry}}"Listen… no, your question ends right there. See, my whole point is that if you tell Mohammad Waseem that he brings a laptop and he has no understanding, how does that reflect? We cannot be judgmental. First, you scare away people and then you say that players don't speak to us. Players while interacting think 10 times and that is because a barrier has come between them and media. And it is you who has to win back the confidence. Why else would players not talk if in a healthy environment," Raja said.
"Think yourself. You feel we have urged the players to not talk to you. It is the players who have told us 'We don't want to talk'. Just look at the headlines you guys have published from my previous press conference. No one has spoken about the cricket foundation or any other important aspect. All that is mentioned is my position, if there is pressure or me, or if I speak to Imran Khan… these are the headlines you give. If that is how you think, people won't speak to you, obviously."