Ramiz Raja facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ramiz Raja
Raja in 2022
35th Chairman of Pakistan Cricket Board
In office 13 September 2021 – 21 December 2022
Appointed by	Imran Khan Shehbaz Sharif
President	Arif Alvi
Prime Minister	Imran Khan Shehbaz Sharif
Preceded by	Ehsan Mani
Succeeded by	Najam Sethi
Personal details
Born	Ramiz Hasan Raja (1962-08-14) 14 August 1962 (age 63) Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan
Height	5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Education	St. Anthony High School, Lahore Sadiq Public School, Bahawalpur Aitchison College, Lahore
Alma mater	Government College, Lahore
Occupation	Former Pakistani cricketer
Personal information Batting Right-handed Bowling Legbreak Role Batter Relations Saleem Akhtar (father) Wasim Raja (brother) Zaeem Raja (brother) Atif Rauf (cousin) International information National side Pakistan (1984–1997) Test debut (cap 99) 2 March 1984 v England Last Test 26 April 1997 v Sri Lanka ODI debut (cap 56) 6 February 1985 v New Zealand Last ODI 21 September 1997 v India Career statistics Competition Test ODI Matches 57 198 Runs scored 2,833 5,841 Batting average 31.83 32.09 100s/50s 2/22 9/31 Top score 122 119* Balls bowled – 6 Wickets – 0 Bowling average – – 5 wickets in innings – – 10 wickets in match – – Best bowling – – Catches/stumpings 34/0 33/0 Medal record Men's Cricket Representing  Pakistan ICC Cricket World Cup Winner 1992 Australia and New Zealand Source: ESPNcricinfo, 31 January 2006

Ramiz Hasan Raja (Urdu: رمیز حسن راجہ; born 14 August 1962) is a well-known Pakistani cricket sports commentator and former cricketer. He also served as the Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) from 2021 to 2022.

Ramiz Raja played international cricket for the Pakistan national cricket team from 1984 to 1997. During his career, he played in 57 Test matches and 198 One Day Internationals (ODIs). He was an important part of the team that won the 1992 Cricket World Cup. Raja sometimes led the team as captain and scored over 8,000 runs in his international career.

After he stopped playing professional cricket, he became a cricket commentator and analyst. He is now one of the most recognized voices in the world of cricket. He also has a popular YouTube channel called Ramiz Speaks, where he talks about different cricket topics.

Early Life and Education

Family and Background

Ramiz Raja was born on 14 August 1962 in Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan. His family originally came from Jaipur, Rajasthan, India.

Cricket runs in his family! His father, Saleem Akhtar, was a cricketer during the time of British rule. His brother, Wasim Raja, and cousin, Atif Rauf, both played for the Pakistan national cricket team. Another brother, Zaeem Raja, also played first-class cricket.

School and College

Ramiz Raja studied at Sadiq Public School in Bahawalpur, Aitchison College, Lahore, and Government College University, Lahore.

Marriage

Ramiz Raja is married. His wife's parents also had roots in British India.

Cricket Journey

Starting in Domestic Cricket

Ramiz Raja began his first-class cricket career in 1978. He scored over 9,000 runs in List A matches and more than 10,000 runs in first-class matches. He made his Test debut against England in 1984 and his ODI debut against New Zealand in 1985. Raja was known as one of the top batters in Pakistan's local cricket scene.

International Career Highlights

When Ramiz Raja first played in a Test match against England, his performance was not very strong. However, as some older players retired, his experience in first-class cricket helped him earn a regular spot in the national team.

He played international cricket for 13 years. He appeared in 57 Test matches, scoring two centuries and averaging 31.83 runs. In One Day International (ODI) matches, he played 198 games and scored 9 centuries. He was part of the team that reached the semi-finals of the 1987 Cricket World Cup.

Winning the 1992 World Cup

Ramiz Raja scored two centuries in the 1992 Cricket World Cup, which was held in Australia. One of these centuries was against New Zealand, who had been undefeated in the tournament. His great performance in that match helped Pakistan reach the semi-finals. In the final match against England, Raja had the special moment of taking the final catch that won the World Cup for Pakistan. This was a huge achievement in his cricket career.

A Rare Dismissal

In a match against England in 1987, Ramiz Raja became the first player in One Day International history to be given out for "obstructing the field". This happened when he hit the ball and ran for two runs, but then used his bat to knock the ball away when a fielder threw it towards him. This action is against the rules, and so he was given out.

Later Years in Cricket

Ramiz Raja was called back to the Pakistan team and played in the 1996 Cricket World Cup. He was removed from captaincy in 1995–1996 after Pakistan lost a home series to Sri Lanka. His last Test match for Pakistan was as captain during a tour of Sri Lanka in 1996–1997. He retired from all forms of cricket in 1997.

Life After Playing Cricket

Cricket Commentator

Ramiz Raja in 2015, working as a commentator.

After retiring from playing, Ramiz Raja became a popular cricket commentator. He has worked for Test Match Special and Sky Sports. He often provides commentary for Pakistan's cricket tours and for many local and international cricket tournaments. He also used to be the chief executive of the Pakistan Cricket Board but left that role in 2004 to focus more on his media work.

Leading the Pakistan Cricket Board

Ramiz Raja served as the 35th Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board from September 2021 to December 2022. In this role, he helped manage and guide cricket in Pakistan.

Hosting a TV Show

In 2024, Ramiz Raja started hosting a late-night entertainment show called Showtime With Ramiz Raja on Suno News. On this show, he interviews different celebrities.

See Also

• List of cricket commentators