Pakistan, the host team of the 2025 Champions Trophy, has been knocked out of the tournament after embarrassing defeats against New Zealand and India. The question is: Who is responsible for this failure, and who will take accountability? The team combination for this Champions Trophy was flawed, and poor selection choices led to Pakistan’s early exit. Unfortunately, this is not the first time. The same disappointing pattern was seen in the ODI and T20 World Cups, and now history has repeated itself in the Champions Trophy. If Pakistan loses its final match against Bangladesh, it may not even qualify for the next Champions Trophy.
Top cricketing nations have built their teams purely on merit. This is why Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, England, and India dominate world cricket today. Their players have a stronger mindset and superior fitness levels compared to ours. These teams do not keep underperforming players for long but instead provide opportunities to emerging talents. As a result, their cricketers play according to the modern demands of the game. Meanwhile, our team is still stuck in the outdated mindset of the 1990s, struggling to score even 100 runs in the first 20 overs of an ODI match. Pakistan currently plays the highest number of dot balls in white-ball cricket, a major drawback in today’s fast-paced game.
For this Champions Trophy, unfit and politically backed players were included in the squad. Despite winning series in Australia and South Africa, six players from the winning combination were replaced, leading to disastrous results. The team’s spin department was particularly weak. Relying on just one regular spinner, Abrar Ahmed, was a huge mistake. Part-time spinners Khushdil Shah and Salman Ali Agha collectively bowled 10 overs but failed to take crucial wickets in the middle overs. In contrast, Indian and New Zealand spinners dismantled Pakistan’s batting lineup in both matches. A second regular spinner was necessary for a tournament of this magnitude.
Former players repeatedly advised including Safyan Muqeem or Arafat Minhas, but the team management dismissed these suggestions, arguing that Pakistani pitches do not support spin. They insisted that Khushdil Shah and Salman Ali Agha could handle the spin duties—yet their dismal performance proved otherwise. If our wickets do not support spin, then why did our batters collapse so easily against Indian and New Zealand spinners?
Mohammad Rizwan’s performance was also highly disappointing. His slow batting against India increased pressure on the entire team. Instead of players like Tayyab Tahir and Kamran Ghulam, fresh and talented middle-order batters should be given opportunities. Among the current players, only Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub have adapted to modern cricket, maintaining strike rates above 100. The rest struggle with strike rates in the 60s and 70s. If Pakistan wants to compete at the highest level, new aggressive batters must be introduced.
Moreover, our senior players lack fitness and the right body language. The team needs to consist of players capable of scoring 300-350 runs consistently. Strengthening the spin attack is also crucial, with at least two or three regular spinners who can restrict runs and take wickets in the middle overs. Fast bowlers like Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, and Naseem Shah need proper backups. Young pacers should be groomed and given international exposure alongside new batters, so that within two years, Pakistan can build a completely revamped team ready for modern cricket.
Continuing with the same “dead weight” players will yield nothing but repeated failures. A major overhaul is necessary, and selections must be based strictly on merit and performance. Pakistan has no shortage of talent—it just needs to be discovered and given the right opportunities. The true “Shaheens” of Iqbal will never disappoint this nation, but these worthless players have done so in three consecutive major tournaments, failing to even reach the semi-finals. The time has come for drastic changes. If merit-based selections are made, no team in the world will be able to stop Pakistan.
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