‘Pakistan have already lost a lot of fans’: Ramiz Raja says Greenshirts need backing to be a great side

Former Pakistan cricketer Ramiz Raja has said that Pakistan have already lost a large number of fans following a series of disappointing results.

Speaking on The Overlap: Stick to Cricket podcast on Tuesday, alongside former England captain Michael Vaughan, Sir Alastair Cook, David “Bumble” Lloyd and Phil Tufnell, Ramiz discussed the reaction to Pakistan’s performance in England.

When Vaughan asked about the reaction in Pakistan, Ramiz said that the response had been far from positive.

“Nothing great actually. Social media is after them. They’ve already lost a lot of fans. So it’s become a norm when you lose a Test match, it’s become another loss and it means another lot withdrawing from cricket,” Ramiz said.

He argued that losing fan support can become a serious problem for a team and said Pakistan need to give supporters reasons to stay behind them.

“So you’re losing fans and that’s why I said the first pillar probably has fallen. You need to have the backing of the fans to be a great side,” he added.

Ramiz stressed that fans cannot expect Pakistan to win every Test match but said that they should at least see determination and competitiveness from the team.

“So nobody wants, and nobody can expect a team to win all the Test matches, but it’s just the fight and your presence and your body language and that,” he said.

Vaughan and Cook also discussed the difference they have noticed in Pakistan’s support during England home series over the years.

Vaughan said that he had watched Pakistan play in England since the early 1990s and recalled the strong support the team traditionally received from Pakistani fans.

“From 1992 to this week now, usually when Pakistan play in the UK, there’s a lot of Pakistan support. There’s big segments on the terrace where they’re playing,” Vaughan said.

He added that he noticed a smaller number of supporters seeking autographs during the current series compared with what he remembered from previous Pakistan tours.

Ramiz’s comments come after a difficult period for Pakistan cricket across formats.