Q: If you hadn’t become a professional cricketer, what job would you have done?
Rameez Raja: My first job was with American Express after finishing my MBA, so I would have tried to be a banker.
Q: Have you ever been interested in coaching?
Rameez Raja: I've never been interested in coaching as it requires patience and hard work, areas that i struggle in.
Q: How did winning the 1992 world cup change your life?
Rameez Raja: We became international celebrities. Never knew how much love our nation had for us as cricketers.
Q: Was Wasim Raja a tough act to follow or did it help that your batting styles were so different? BTW our sincerest condolences from everyone at PakPassion.Net, Wasim was a much loved Pakistani cricketer and we were all saddened by his passing.
Rameez Raja: Wasim was a hero and a loving brother. Thankfully we weren't compared as talents because we were so different in styles. Importantly it was a no contest because i was no match to him. He was gifted and brilliant!
Q: You were a Test cricketer for Pakistan. What were your favourite innings and your favourite moment on the field in Test cricket? And in ODI’s too.
Rameez Raja: Some of the innings that I played during the best series of my career against the West Indies in 1988. They were the champions then. In ODIs, Miandads monkey jump to mimic, infact ridicule Kiran More's style of appeal during the 92 World Cup game.
Q: Your worst day ever in cricket both as a player and as an observer.
Rameez Raja: Have to say Bob Woolmers death and the Oval fiasco.
Q: Please talk us through that catch you took to win us the world cup.
Rameez Raja: Stumps were being removed as I was getting underneath the catch. It wasn't easy, there was the pressure of the assumption that catch will be taken plus the anticipated euphoria that it was finally going to be over, splashed across my mind instantly. It was difficult to concentrate on the ball.
Q: Were you given a specific role in the side by Imran Khan, and do you feel that 2 test centuries in your career was an under achievement?
Rameez Raja: Two centuries were certainly an underachievement. We never thought of individual scores under Imran. But that's not a good enough reason.
Q: If given the chance, would you take up the role of PCB's CEO ever again?
Rameez Raja: I am always open to ideas and tough challenges. However, presently I would like to concentrate on the job that i love, cricket commentary.
Q: Are there things that you wished you could have done during your tenure, but were unable to do so due to various circumstances? Did you find yourself coming up against brick walls when you wanted to make changes?
Rameez Raja: The CEO post has its limitations. The Chairman of the Board makes the decisions which are then implemented by the CEO's team. Nevertheless I would have wanted a better more professional, regionally based (ie Lahore vs Karachi) and televised first-class system and to put an end to organizational cricket. Our existing system is very confusing and is yielding less and less.
Q: How do you respond the criticism that you may have been unduly critical of Pakistani players in your role as cricket commentator, particular when you were the CEO of the PCB and effectively criticising your 'employees' in public?
Rameez Raja: I have always believed in giving my honest opinion and fans of Pak cricket have to realize that as a commentator i am also catering to international audiences and not only working for domestic viewers and protecting our players interests and bad performances. If i did i will be clearly doing a disservice to my profession.
Q: As someone who has been a part of PCB for a period of time, do you feel their reputation as being a "big, bad, irresponsible" cricket board is justified? If so, to what extent?
Rameez Raja: PCB is not an irresponsible organization. It however, needs to promote good people to look after the grass roots and introduce merit at all levels, especially while picking players and organizers. I think the organization at times give in to political pressures and the hounding media which is frustrating.
Q: How long do you see yourself commentating for? Do you have any other plans in the future?
Rameez Raja: I like what I do. So you have to bear with me for a little while longer.
Q: Do you feel there is a need to maintain a sense of neutrality when commentating, or are you there to represent the Pakistani point of view? How difficult is it to maintain that balance?
Rameez Raja: There is a strong case to maintain neutrality on the mic. Otherwise you are found out eventually and lose respect.
Q: Rameez, as Pakistan's leading commentator, you have obviously visited a number of different countries and venues. Where are the places you look forward to visiting the most?
Rameez Raja: I like all places but an England and India tour holds a special place because of the amount of interest they generate.
Q: Is there any commentator out there that you aspire to be like? That is to say, is there a commentator who you feel possesses qualities which you would like to have? Have you had the fortune with working with that person in the commentary box?
Rameez Raja: Ian Chappell tops my list. I've also had the fortune to work with him.
Q: Are you contractually obligated to interview Pakistani players in English, even in home matches? Most of the players are young and therefore don’t have the confidence to request an Urdu interview. Can’t someone like yourself insist that they are allowed to express themselves fully by being interviewed in Urdu with a translator? After all it’s common practise in all other sports. You never see Zidane or Ronaldo forced to talk in broken English! When will Cricket catch up?
Rameez Raja: Since the coverage is mostly taken by international channels, we are forced to interview our players in English. A limited minimum time slot unfortunately doesn't allow scope for an interpreter at players interview.
Q: Do you prefer commentating in Pakistan, on tours or tournaments like the World Cup? Basically do you enjoy the travelling and still being around the atmosphere of the game no matter where you are?
Rameez Raja: I love being around cricket. Doesn't matter if in the process i am travelling or not.
Q: Who do you think is the best player to ever play for Pakistan and why?
Rameez Raja: Batting has to be a toss up between Miandad and Inzi. Imran as someone who had overall the most impact.
Q: You said on GEO that you did not see a role for a coach anymore? Why is that?
Rameez Raja: World cricket has not become richer or more technical as a result of excessive coaching. In fact we are witnessing a global slide in cricket standards. Coaching is an over used, over emphasized and misunderstood term at international level. How can a coach while sitting out, control or impact a game. These days the coach is wrongly perceived as a captain also. We need to do 180 degrees turn around and go back to the times when a captain was 100% in charge of his unit, on and off the field. There has to be one chain of command to smell success.
Q: After the world cup debacle what is the first thing that PCB should do to get Pakistan cricket back on track? What steps do you think Pakistan need to take in order to become consistent and a top cricket team?
Rameez Raja: Improve first class system. Less first class. Go regional. Use TV. Robust junior cricket and emphasis on club and school cricket. Most importantly, we need less politics.
Q: Who should be the future captain/vice-captain of Pakistan?
Rameez Raja: Shoaib Malik has been given the reigns. Good luck to him.
Q: Should Pakistan keep the core of the team that lost the world cup or introduce a lot of young players?
Rameez Raja: It has to be a mix of new, young and experienced ones.
Q: Over the last 8 or 9 months off field controversies and unfortunate incidents have been the story of PAK cricket so how do you think the players have reacted and what can they do to forget about the torrid past and start afresh from the series against SL?
Rameez Raja: Learn from all the controversies and move on.
Q: What did it feel like to be a part of Ovalgate as it unfolded? Describe your emotions, both on the day and in hindsight.
Rameez Raja: Oval was instigated by Darrel Hair and was pretty unnecessary. One mans stubbornness put a halt to the game and painted Pakistan as cheats.
Q: Have any hair cosmetic manufacturers ever offered you endorsement deals?
Rameez Raja: I was always under the impression that you get hair endorsements when you're losing your hair.
