February 20, 2025: Pakistan pace sensation Naseem Shah has expressed his disappointment with the defending champions’ poor start in the ongoing Champions Trophy, stressing the need to rectify their mistakes before their crucial clash with arch-rivals India in Dubai on Sunday.
After waiting nearly three decades for a global tournament to return to Pakistan, the co-hosts were handed a 60-run defeat by New Zealand in the tournament opener at Karachi. This early setback has put Pakistan’s chances of reaching the semi-finals in jeopardy, particularly with the tournament being short and each team playing only three group-stage matches.
Naseem acknowledged the gravity of the situation, admitting that the loss in the opener had made the high-stakes game against India even more important. “When you don’t start well, it’s natural to feel disappointed. There are quite a few things we need to fix before the next important match. We have to correct our mistakes and focus on the next game,” Naseem told reporters, as quoted by Geo News.
The turning point of Pakistan’s defeat came in the final 10 overs of New Zealand’s innings, with Glenn Phillips blasting a quick-fire 61. Phillips’ explosive knock powered New Zealand to a commanding total, and Pakistan’s bowlers allowed 113 runs in the last 60 balls. Naseem admitted that the end of the first innings didn’t go as planned, saying, “The last six to eight overs didn’t go the way we wanted them to. We need to look at how we can improve in those areas in the next matches.”
With Karachi’s dry pitch offering little help for the bowlers, the task of containing the batters proved even more challenging. “On pitches like these, bowlers don’t get much help. Big scores are very much likely here,” Naseem explained.
The 60-run defeat has left Pakistan with little margin for error, and their upcoming clash with India now carries even more weight in the context of the tournament. With Naseem and his teammates now focused on correcting their mistakes, the pressure is on them to deliver a strong performance in the next match to stay alive in the competition.