Make Wahab Riaz new captain of Pakistan, says Rameez Raja

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Sydney, Mar 22: Former captain Rameez Raja says it was right time to thrust paceman Wahab Riaz into captaincy since he has "ingredients" to take Pakistan cricket team in the right direction.

World Cup Special

Riaz delivered one of the most memorable and fierce fast bowling spells against Australia in the lost quarterfinal.

"What I saw of him against Australia convinces me that he's got it in him to make it big as a leader because he showed aggression, passion and emotion and that is what is required right now to put Pakistan cricket back on track.

"The team think tank have not really been able to give Pakistan that aggressive tag that its renowned for and I've been very disappointed with the route that we have taken.

Pakistan cricket is about emotion, about showing passion and to a certain degree about being unpredictable in a healthy way, which makes it so romantic," Raja said.

Wahab was standout performers for Pakistan in the World Cup as he finished with 16 scalps. Raja said it would not a be a bad idea if Riaz is given the leadership role.

"You can experiment with an out-of-box idea like this in one-day cricket. Australia is a great example. George Bailey was plucked out of first class cricket straight into international cricket as a leader when he was made T20 captain," he said.

"I've seen the ingredients to give Wahab Riaz that pedestal and position. Let's see how he operates but what I saw of him against Australia, he can take Pakistan cricket in the right direction," Raja told ESPN Cricinfo.

PTI