The Champions Trophy 2025 returned after eight years and Pakistan was selected as the host but Pakistan Cricket Team’s hopes of advancing into the semi-finals were thrashed after New Zealand defeated Bangladesh by five wickets in Rawalpindi. This victory secured New Zealand and India’s spot in the semi-finals leaving Pakistan’s campaign come to an abrupt end.
Injury Setbacks And Team Struggles
Pakistan faced several injury setbacks which included key injury before the tournament. Openers Saim Ayub’s absence due to injury was a major loss and then Fakhar Zaman replaced him but he also got injured in first match against New Zealand.
Bowling Attack And Lack of Depth
Pakistan’s bowling attack was ineffective and lacking in potency. Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah were underwhelming, conceding runs all through the two games. Moreover, the lack of a robust spin combination to complement Abrar Ahmed only added to Pakistan’s woes, particularly against strong teams.
Disappointing Losses Against New Zealand And India
In the first match, New Zealand scored a record 320 runs, with Will Young and Tom Latham scoring centuries. In their second match against India, Pakistan got off to a good start but could not cash in, eventually being limited to only 241 runs. India then chased the target easily in 43.2 overs, with Virat Kohli spearheading the chase.
Unwanted Records And Early Exit
Pakistan’s exit from the tournament came at the expense of some undesirable records. It is the first instance since 2009 when the host country hasn’t managed to advance past the group stages of the Champions Trophy, with a record previously done by South Africa. Also, Pakistan is now the fourth successive defending champion to have bowed out in the group stages, which is something rarely seen in the history of the tournament. The last times it has occurred were in 2004 (India and Sri Lanka) and 2013 (Australia).
Also Read: PCB Set To Take Big Decision After Facing Huge Backlash On Pakistan’s Loss Against India
Last Match Against Bangladesh
With their elimination now a certainty, Pakistan will play their last match against Bangladesh on February 27. But there’s a huge rain threat hanging over the match, increasing the likelihood that Pakistan may end the tournament without a victory.
