LAHORE MIRROR — Star Sports, the official broadcaster of the Asia Cup, has unveiled a team of 19 commentators for the upcoming tournament.
Among them are four former cricketers from Pakistan, the host nation, and ten from India. Surprisingly, renowned Pakistani cricket captain and commentator Ramiz Raja has been excluded from the commentary panel for the upcoming series.
The Pakistani commentary lineup boasts Bazid Khan, Aamer Sohail, Wasim Akram, and Waqar Younis. Meanwhile, prominent figures like Ravi Shastri, Andy Flower, and Matthew Hayden from various countries will also be lending their voices during the Asia Cup matches.
It’s worth noting that the Asian Cricket Council has yet to publish the list of commentators on its official website.
Raja had been absent from the commentary box since September 2021, after his appointment as the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for a three-year term. He made his return as a commentator during the Test series between Pakistan and Sri Lanka last month.
Raja’s removal from the PCB, along with other board members, came after only a year in office. He was succeeded by a 14-member management committee led by Najam Sethi. Raja is the fourth former Pakistani international cricketer to head the PCB, following in the footsteps of Abdul Hafeez Kardar (1972-1977), Javed Burki (1994-1995), and Ijaz Butt (2008-2011).
Having played 255 international matches and captaining Pakistan in 18 Test and 12 ODI matches, Raja accumulated a total of 8,674 runs from 1984 to 1997. Besides his cricketing achievements, he previously served as the Chief Executive of PCB from 2003 to 2004. Additionally, he represented Pakistan in the ICC Chief Executives’ Committee and currently holds a position on the MCC World Cricket Committee.
Raja’s renowned broadcasting career spans various leading cricket networks worldwide, establishing him as a significant voice in Pakistan cricket.
The Asia Cup, scheduled to be held in Pakistan and Sri Lanka, will commence on August 30, culminating in the final match on September 17. The tournament will feature a series of group stage and Super 4 matches, with the positions of teams determining the matchups.
