February 26, 2025: Pakistan’s interim head coach, Aaqib Javed, addressed the media after his team’s early exit from the ongoing Champions Trophy, promising that the management would take necessary steps to ensure the best interests of the national team moving forward.
Pakistan, defending champions and one of the tournament’s favorites, faced an unexpected and disappointing early exit after losing two matches in a row. Their tournament began with a six-wicket defeat to New Zealand in the opening match, followed by another six-wicket loss to arch-rivals India in Dubai. With a major cricket tournament returning to Pakistan for the first time in 29 years, the defeat meant that Pakistan’s journey in the tournament was over before the knockout stage, as their final group-stage match against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi loomed.
Ahead of the match, Aaqib responded to criticism regarding Pakistan’s team selection, which had drawn scrutiny from both fans and former cricketers. Key players like Faheem Ashraf and Khushdil Shah had been included, despite some doubts about their form and consistency. The interim coach rejected the notion that players had been selected without merit, highlighting that each player was chosen based on performance.
“Not a single player in the squad was included without performance. We cannot simply replace the entire team with the Under-19 squad just because we lost,” Aaqib said in a press conference, as reported by Geo News. He emphasized that the selection committee’s goal was to field the strongest squad possible.
Despite the harsh reality of early elimination, Aaqib focused on looking forward. He admitted that while not everyone could be fully satisfied with the team’s performances, the priority now was to make decisions that would serve the best interests of the team moving forward. “The selection committee’s job is to field the best players. Moving forward, we will make decisions in the best interest of the team,” he said. The focus was now on preparing for the upcoming match, and the management would ensure to make the right moves for the future.
Pakistan’s title defense took a massive hit after their performance against New Zealand and India. Against India, despite winning the crucial toss and opting to bat first, Pakistan was restricted to a modest 241 runs, thanks to excellent bowling from the Indian spinners. When India came to chase, Virat Kohli put on a batting masterclass, leading India to a comfortable six-wicket victory.
Aaqib reflected on the loss to India, noting that experience played a key role in India’s ability to navigate Pakistan’s challenge. “The Indian team was highly experienced. When defending 240 runs, taking wickets and attacking are crucial. Planning is not limited to just playing against India; it applies to every match,” he remarked, acknowledging that Pakistan’s lack of execution and consistency in key moments had ultimately cost them.
With their chances of progressing in the Champions Trophy gone, Pakistan’s management will now have to regroup and look ahead to future series and tournaments. Aaqib’s comments pointed to the need for a more strategic approach, ensuring that lessons were learned from this early exit in order to improve and build for the future of Pakistan cricket.