Babar Azam being pushed into 'pointless controversies': Ramiz Raja.

LAHORE -- Former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ramiz Raja has said that despite his good performances in white-ball cricket, the national team's skipper Babar Azam is being pushed into pointless controversies.

Thanks to a half-century each from skipper Babar, Mohammad Rizwan, and Fakhar Zaman, and Naseem Shah's five-for, Pakistan beat New Zealand Monday by six wickets in the opening ODI.

Raja heaped praise on Babar and Rizwan for their performance which helped Pakistan secure a win in the opening ODI to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

'Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam were under a lot of pressure. The pressure was created on Babar's captaincy for no reason, unfortunately. This is how a team's atmospheres are spoiled," the former cricketer said on his official YouTube channel Ramiz Speaks.

"He is being asked tough questions and being put into pointless controversies. This team has done well recently in white-ball cricket as they have avoided controversy and been consistent with their combination. He played a very good knock under pressure."

Left-handed batter Shan Masood was appointed Pakistan's ODI skipper for the New Zealand series, replacing Rizwan.

The former commentator also slammed the decision to remove Rizwan from ODI vice-captaincy and said: 'Rizwan was under a lot of pressure too. His runs were very really important."

I don't understand why he was removed from...