Ramiz Raja facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ramiz Raja
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![]() Raja in 2022
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35th Chairman of Pakistan Cricket Board | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 13 September 2021 – 21 December 2022 |
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Appointed by | Imran Khan Shehbaz Sharif |
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President | Arif Alvi | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Prime Minister | Imran Khan Shehbaz Sharif |
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Preceded by | Ehsan Mani | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Najam Sethi | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Born |
Ramiz Hasan Raja
14 August 1962 Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan |
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Height | 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Education |
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Alma mater | Government College, Lahore | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Occupation | Former Pakistani cricketer | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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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
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