Champions Trophy Shake-Up: Pakistan Out, India and New Zealand Advance

Champions Trophy Shake-Up: Pakistan Out, India and New Zealand Advance

2 months ago | 5 Views

Pakistan, under the leadership of Mohammad Rizwan, was eliminated from the ICC Men's Champions Trophy 2025 following New Zealand's five-wicket victory over Bangladesh in their Group A match at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Monday. After suffering a defeat to India in a crucial match in Dubai, Pakistan's chances of advancing to the semi-finals hinged on Bangladesh achieving an unlikely victory against the formidable Kiwis.

Given New Zealand's current form, an upset was highly improbable. The BlackCaps secured their second win in the Champions Trophy with relative ease.

This loss also marked the end of Bangladesh's campaign in the tournament, as India and New Zealand confirmed their spots in the semi-finals from Group A. The upcoming match on March 2 between India and New Zealand will decide which team finishes at the top of the group.

India is scheduled to play their semi-final in Dubai on March 4, while New Zealand will compete in theirs on March 5 at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

This ICC event marks Pakistan's first hosting opportunity in 29 years. However, the national cricket team's inability to perform well has left fans disappointed and raised numerous questions regarding their capabilities.

Pakistan's tournament commenced poorly, as they failed to chase down a target of 321 against New Zealand in Karachi. Babar Azam faced significant criticism for his batting performance, scoring 64 runs off 90 balls without demonstrating sufficient aggression.

Despite commendable efforts from Khushdil Shah and Salman Ali Agha in the middle order, their contributions proved insufficient, ultimately leading to New Zealand's victory and placing Pakistan in a precarious position.

The match against India became a critical must-win scenario. Historically, Pakistan has struggled against their arch-rival in ICC events, and this match followed a similar pattern.

Pakistan's dismal show against India

Following criticism regarding their performance against New Zealand, it was anticipated that Pakistan would exhibit greater determination and aggression with both bat and ball. Babar's initial approach suggested that the team was prepared to reassess their strategy and implement necessary adjustments.

Nevertheless, this newfound determination proved to be short-lived. During the middle overs, Mohammad Rizwan struggled to rotate the strike, allowing India to remain competitive throughout the match. A flurry of wickets fell towards the conclusion of the innings, resulting in Pakistan being limited to a mere 241 runs.

Virat Kohli then delivered an exceptional performance against a team he relishes competing against, leaving Pakistan once again searching for solutions. The pace trio of Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Haris Rauf were dispatched around the field with ease. Although Abrar Ahmed displayed some resilience by bowling Shubman Gill with a brilliant leg-spinner, it was insufficient to change the course of the match.

With Pakistan suffering a six-wicket defeat to India, the situation became dire. Even Mohammad Rizwan conceded that the tournament was effectively over for them, a sentiment that was confirmed with their official elimination just 24 hours later.

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