Cricket World Cup history: Rameez Raja, stoic achiever in a team of stars

Rameez Raja crept into the lead performers of the World Cup unnoticed. He was not a flamboyant player, often overshadowed by the brilliance of men like Imran Khan, Javed Miandad and Wasim Akram. He even lacked the natural ability of his elder brother, Wasim.

But he was a great asset to Pakistan, a correct player who opened the batting with competence, if not flair. One look at his figures, and you get a good idea of his consistency. Indeed, Rameez Raja did Pakistan proud on several occasions throughout his career.

This was apparent from the very beginning. Opening against Sri Lanka at the Niaz Stadium, Hyderabad (Sind) in the 1987 World Cup, Rameez got into the groove right away. He was associated in a fine third-wicket partnership with Javed Miandad. The two put on 113 before Rameez departed for 76 scored off 115 balls with 3 fours.

Being run out for 15 against England, he took 42 off the West Indies attack, adding 64 for the third wicket with Miandad. It was a vital partnership after two wickets had fallen early. Pakistan went on to win by one wicket off the last delivery.

Rameez brought up his first one-day century in the return game with England. He put up an opening stand of 61 with Mansoor Akhtar, and then added 167 for the second wicket with Salim Malik. He was eventually out for 113 off 148 balls inclusive of 5 fours, with Pakistan well in sight of an easy victory.

He scored 32 in another useful opening stand of 64 with Mansoor against Sri Lanka.

The West Indies came back strongly in the final league match at Karachi, but Rameez top-scored with 70. His opening partnership with Mudassar Nazar was worth 78, and he added another 50 for the second wicket with Malik. His 111-ball stint yielded 3 boundaries.

Unfortunately, Rameez was run out for 1 in the semi-final as Allan Border’s Australians stunned the joint favourites. Rameez had batted consistently throughout the tournament, invariably building a strong foundation for the later batsmen to consolidate.

Rameez began the 1992 campaign in style in the opening encounter with the West Indies. After two useful stands with youngsters Aamir Sohail and Inzamam-ul-Haq, he was joined by his old ally, Miandad. The two featured in an unbroken third-wicket partnership of 123 in just 20 overs.

Rameez scored 102 not out off 158 balls with 4 boundaries, and became the fifth player to bat through an innings in the World Cup. That, though, was not enough as the Caribbean batsmen raced away to a 10-wicket win.

After a couple of failures and missed matches, Rameez was back in the saddle against Australia at Perth, sharing an opening stand of 78 with Sohail. He scored 34 as Pakistan made a late surge for the semi-finals.

Rameez then scored 32 as they met Sri Lanka at the same venue. He put on 61 for the second wicket with skipper Imran Khan.

A big score was due and Rameez obliged, in the process halting the triumphant run of New Zealand. He hit the highest score of the tournament, a glorious unbeaten 119 to lead the side to the semi-final with a seven-wicket win.

A stand of 115 for the third wicket with a strangely subdued Miandad was a feature of the innings. Rameez hit 16 fours in his 155-ball knock which underscored the fact that he was a great asset in Pakistan’s campaign.

The adversaries in the semi-final were once again the Kiwis. Rameez played his part here too. He scored 44, and put on 54 for the second wicket with Imran, providing a platform for a charge towards victory that would take Pakistan to their first World Cup final.

Rameez departed early in the final but he had already played a significant role in helping his team wrest the title.

He aggregated 349 runs, exactly the same number that he did in 1987. The last frame of the 1992 World Cup had Rameez jubilantly catching England’s No. 11 Richard Illingworth in the outfield off Imran.

He was then one of only two batsmen to have scored three centuries in the World Cup, the other being the great Vivian Richards. Rameez was certainly in illustrious company.

For all practical purposes, Rameez Raja’s World Cup career was over by then. He played only one match in 1996, notching up his 700th run in the tournament.

For all his match-winning performances, Rameez was upstaged for the man-of-the-match prize each time - primarily because he was not flashy. His were solid displays, which skipper Imran could depend on time and again.

Rameez was a quiet soldier of Pakistan cricket, even in the slam-bang version of the game.

Rameez Raja’s World Cup batting and fielding record:

Matches 16, Highest Score 119*, Runs 700, Average 53.84, Strike-rate 64.22, Hundreds 3, Fifties 2, Catches 4

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