Pakistan, the defending champions and hosts, were knocked out of the Champions Trophy after defeats to New Zealand and arch-rivals India, marking a disappointing end to their first major international cricket event at home in almost three decades.
Although they have one group match left against Bangladesh, it will be merely formalities as their tournament hopes are over.
But, what were the reasons behind Pakistan’s debacle? Let’s try and find out.
The build-up to the Champions Trophy was marred by injuries, including to promising opener Saim Ayub and experienced Fakhar Zaman, which disrupted the team combination and bench strength
Pakistan’s much-hyped pace trio of Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Haris Rauf looked off-colour and failed to control the death overs, despite being rested ahead of the tournament to keep them fresh. All in all, their weapon failed to work when it mattered the most.
Selectors faced criticism for not including a second specialist spinner, relying instead on part-time options Salman Agha and Khushdil Shah, who failed to make an impact.
The decision to promote out-of-form Babar Azam as an opener backfired, especially after Fakhar's injury.
A lot of questions were raised when all-rounders Khushdil Shah and Faheem Ashraf were controversially selected based on performances in Bangladesh’s T20 league, despite a prolonged absence from ODI cricket.
Former captain Rashid Latif alleged that the squad selection was influenced by external politics rather than merit, raising questions about the decision-making process.
Pakistan was accused of playing old-fashioned cricket reminiscent of the 1980s and 1990s, failing to adapt to the modern aggressive style adopted by other teams. Their inability to rotate strike resulted in a high number of dot balls—152 against India and 162 against New Zealand—contributing to below-par totals.
Legendary all-rounder Shahid Afridi called for a complete overhaul of Pakistan’s cricket system, emphasizing the need for a change in mindset and the development of players with an aggressive approach.
The group-stage exit is a bitter pill for Pakistan, who were hoping to make a strong statement on home soil but instead faced criticism for outdated tactics and controversial selections.