Pakistan's journey in the Champions Trophy came to an abrupt end as the team failed to advance past the group stage. The elimination followed a series of lackluster performances, beginning with a 60-run defeat to New Zealand in their opening match. A subsequent loss to arch-rivals India by six wickets sealed their fate, leaving fans and experts dismayed.
Disappointment among the fanbase was palpable. Many criticized the team's lackluster performance, with some labeling it a "loser's mindset." Despite resting their celebrated pace attack, comprising Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Haris Rauf, from the Test series to keep them fresh, they appeared rusty and struggled to control the death overs.
Former captain Rashid Latif did not mince words, describing the team's selection choices as "political." Wasim Akram echoed these sentiments, lamenting the players' inability to learn or improve. The loss against India was particularly painful for fans, evoking memories of Pakistan's exit from the World Test Championship earlier in the year.
"It is disappointing that they didn’t even put up a fight," expressed Naseem Satti, capturing the sentiment of many supporters. "We have no quality bowlers, no reliable batters and it seems cricket is dead in Pakistan," he added.
The Pakistani cricket board, already under scrutiny for frequent changes to the coaching team and selection panel, faced intensified criticism following this tournament. Former all-rounder Shahid Afridi described the team's performance as "outdated," pointing to their failure to adopt a more modern style of play.
The demand for comprehensive changes within the team and the cricket board grew louder after this debacle. Many fans, frustrated by repeated disappointments, called for an overhaul.
"Cricket is the only source of entertainment for our youth," remarked Asma Batool. "Our nation finds solace in this game," she added, underscoring the significance of cricket in Pakistani culture.
The Champions Trophy had been a rare opportunity for Pakistan to host an international event on home soil, but the excitement was short-lived due to the team's poor showing.
"We were thrilled that an international event had finally returned to our country, but the joy was short-lived," said Umar Siraj. "The hardest part of being a Pakistan fan is that you end up praying for other teams to lose," he lamented.
This latest loss against India marked the second time in eight months that Pakistan had been outclassed by their neighbors in an ICC event. The familiar heartache of losing to India left fans disappointed and hoping for significant changes.
“For large parts of the Indian innings, a good number of people turned their backs to the match – facing their friends instead of the screen, such was the disappointment,” shared Moiz Umer.
The performance starkly contrasted with earlier this year when Pakistan's white-ball skipper, Mohammad Rizwan, led the team to an impressive 2-1 ODI series win over world champions Australia. However, Rizwan himself voiced concerns over the team's outdated style.
“In 2025 Pakistan was playing the cricket style of the 1980s and 1990s while other teams had progressed well to adopt an aggressive and modern style,” he noted. “We need a complete overhaul of the system so that we can produce players with an aggressive mindset,” Rizwan emphasized.
Fans like Zain Mursaleen expressed their frustration candidly:
“It was such a big match and we went down with a whimper.”
Rasheed Saleem echoed this sentiment:
“They came to the game with a loser’s mindset and never attempted to attack.”
