After Pakistan's defeat to Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup finals on September 11 in Dubai, Ramiz Raja spoke briefly with the media outside the stadium. Indian journalist Rohit Juglan asked the PCB chairman whether he had a message for the Pakistan’ people, who were disheartened because of the defeat. Raja found the question offensive and was clearly upset. “You must be from India, your people must be very happy,” he said while wondering which ‘unhappy’ people Juglan was talking about.
When the Indian reporter said he had seen Pakistani fans shed tears while leaving the stadium, Raja snatched the journalist’s phone. He immediately gave the phone back while avoiding any further enquiry from Juglan.
Juglan later posted a video of the incident on Twitter and asked if he had asked the wrong question. He wondered if Pakistani fans were not unhappy with the defeat. As a board chairman, it was extremely wrong of Raja to behave likewise, he wrote. He also wrote that Raja should not have snatched his phone.
While some Pakistani users on Twitter trolled the Indian journalist for asking such questions and mocked the Indian team for their defeat, Indian supporters called Raja’s behavious “unprofessional”. Also, there were some users from Pakistan that spoke in Juglan’s support.
“Rohit bhai I am Pakistani. I fully agree there was nothing wrong with your question. Ramiz Raja behaviour is unacceptable (sic),” one of them wrote.
Another wrote, “As a Pakistani I feel sorry, but please leave it he is new don't know how to handle pressure (sic).
One Pakistani fan, however, backed Raja, “As the PCB chairman he has the right to be unhappy... If he was there just as a commentator he would have been more sporting. Don't make a mountain out of a molehill.”
While Ramiz Raja did not post anything from his Twitter handle after Pakistan’s defeat against Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup final, the Pakistan board congratulated the winning team while posting a picture of Babar Azam consoling his team after the loss.
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