Pakistan’s rich cricketing history is filled with moments of glory, from the 1992 World Cup triumph to the stunning victory in the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy. However, as the nation prepared to defend its title in the 2025 Champions Trophy, early signs indicate that the road ahead is filled with challenges.
As hosts, Pakistan’s responsibility was twofold: first, to prove to the world that it is fully capable of organizing a world-class ICC event, and second, to assemble a formidable squad capable of defending the title-or at the very least, putting up a strong fight to reach the semi-finals. Unfortunately, the early results suggest that Pakistan may have faltered on both fronts.
A Stumbling Start to Champions
Trophy 2025
The Champions Trophy began with high hopes for Pakistan, who had just come off a Tri-Nation series against New Zealand and South Africa. That series was viewed as a crucial preparatory event-an opportunity for the team to identify its weaknesses, make necessary adjustments, and enter the ICC tournament with a solid plan.
However, Pakistan’s performance in the tournament opener against New Zealand painted a different picture. Despite having home advantage, Pakistan was outplayed, outclassed, and outstrategized. The same old problems surfaced: inconsistent bowling, lack of depth in the middle order, and a failure to execute under pressure.
For the third time in a matter of weeks, Pakistan fell victim to the tactical superiority of New Zealand. The match once again exposed Pakistan’s vulnerabilities, particularly in the final overs of both innings.
A Familiar Tale: Poor Death Bowling, Slow Batting Approach
New Zealand, batting first, set a daunting target of 320-thanks largely to two century partnerships and brilliant performances by Will Young and Tom Latham. Pakistan’s bowlers had moments of brilliance in the middle overs, but they failed to maintain pressure when it mattered most. In the death overs, the bowlers leaked runs, allowing New Zealand to pile on a total that proved too much for Pakistan to chase.
In response, Pakistan’s batting followed a disappointing, all-too-familiar script. Instead of taking the attack to the opposition, the top order played with excessive caution. Babar Azam’s sluggish 81-ball fifty and Fakhar Zaman’s struggles at the crease prevented Pakistan from setting a strong foundation.
By the time the middle order attempted to accelerate-through a late cameo from Khushdil Shah-the match was already out of reach. The result was a 60-run defeat, a disheartening loss for a team expected to put up a stronger fight as defending champions.
Selection Blunders: Ignoring Proven
Spinners
One of the most baffling decisions by Pakistan’s selectors was the omission of two of the country’s top-class spinners, Sajid Khan and Noman Ali, from the Champions Trophy squad. Given the conditions and the spin-friendly nature of the surfaces, their exclusion was nothing short of a strategic blunder.
New Zealand’s spinners demonstrated how effective quality slow bowling can be in these conditions, extracting significant turn and making run-scoring difficult for Pakistan’s batsmen. In contrast, Pakistan’s spin attack lacked penetration, failing to create consistent pressure on the opposition.
Had either Sajid Khan or Noman Ali been included in the squad, Pakistan might have had a better chance of controlling the middle overs and preventing New Zealand from posting a mammoth total. The absence of genuine wicket-taking spinners cost Pakistan dearly, further highlighting the importance of specialist players in key tournaments.
Captain Mohammad Rizwan’s Perspective
Speaking after the match, Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan acknowledged that the team had misjudged the conditions and made tactical errors. “New Zealand set a bigger target than we expected,” Rizwan admitted. “We thought they would score around 260, but they played exceptionally well. Every day is not Sunday-we chased well against South Africa in the Tri-Series, but New Zealand’s bowling attack was much stronger. Winning the toss and batting first might have been a better strategy for us in the Champions Trophy opener.”
Rizwan’s comments reflect Pakistan’s lack of adaptability and awareness. Good teams learn from their mistakes, but Pakistan seems to be repeating them, raising concerns about the effectiveness of the team management and selection committee.
The Road Ahead: Do or Die Against India and Bangladesh
With a demoralizing loss in the opening match, Pakistan’s path in the Champions Trophy is already looking difficult. Their next match against arch-rivals India on February 23 is now a must-win encounter. Given India’s formidable batting lineup and balanced bowling attack, Pakistan will have to bring its A-game to avoid an early exit from the tournament.
Pakistan’s final Group A match will be against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi on February 27. While Bangladesh might seem like a relatively easier opponent, recent history suggests that they are more than capable of springing an upset.
If Pakistan fails to address its shortcomings in the coming days, the defending champions might find themselves crashing out of the tournament without even making it to the semi-finals.
Time for Change:
Cosmetic Fixes Won’t Work Anymore
Pakistan’s cricketing woes run deeper than just one bad match. The problems evident in the Champions Trophy opener-lack of specialist spinners, ineffective death bowling, and a timid batting approach-have been plaguing the team for years.
As a famous coach from another sport once said, perhaps the time for “cosmetic changes” is over. Maybe what Pakistan cricket needs is “open-heart surgery”-a complete overhaul of strategy, selection policies, and mindset.
The reliance on makeshift solutions, sticking with out-of-form players, and ignoring specialists is hurting Pakistan cricket. If the team wants to compete with the best in the world, they must adopt a more professional and merit-based approach.
Conclusion: A Wake-Up Call for Pakistan Cricket
Pakistan’s defeat to New Zealand was not just a bad day at the office-it was a wake-up call. The Champions Trophy is a high-stakes tournament, and Pakistan cannot afford to continue making the same mistakes.
The selection committee must recognize the importance of specialists, especially in crucial positions like spin bowling. Tactical decisions-such as whether to bat first or chase-must be made based on thorough analysis rather than gut feeling. And most importantly, the team must play with the intent and aggression required in modern-day ODI cricket.
With two group matches remaining, Pakistan still has a chance to turn things around. But unless they make significant adjustments, their title defense may end sooner than expected.
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