Pakistan’s Hopes Hinge on Other Results, But Rizwan Concedes Reality
Dubai, February 24 – Pakistan’s Champions Trophy 2025 campaign is all but over after a six-wicket loss to India on Sunday. Following the defeat, Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan acknowledged the grim reality, stating, “For now, we can say it’s over. That’s the truth.”
Although Pakistan is not yet officially eliminated, its semi-final hopes now depend on other results. To stay in contention, Pakistan needs a surprise victory by Bangladesh over New Zealand in addition to winning its final league match against Bangladesh.
However, Rizwan made it clear that he dislikes relying on external factors for progression. “As a captain, I don’t like this situation. If you can win, do it. If you can’t, don’t worry about it. Sitting in someone else’s shadow? That doesn’t matter to me,” he asserted.
Rizwan Defends Pakistan’s Spin Strategy Against India
India fielded three spinners in the match, while Pakistan opted for only one specialist spinner, Abrar Ahmed. This decision raised questions, but Rizwan defended the strategy.
“You can’t say we made a mistake by playing just one specialist spinner. India had Kuldeep Yadav as their frontline spinner, but Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel are all-rounders. We also had Salman Ali Agha and Khushdil Shah, who have bowled well in the past,” he explained.
Pakistan’s Middle-Order Failure a Major Concern
Rizwan acknowledged Pakistan’s middle-order struggles, admitting that the batting unit failed to execute their plans.
“Our target was to reach 270-280 because the pitch and outfield were slow. Had we managed to post 280, the outcome could have been different,” he admitted.
With Pakistan’s semi-final hopes now hanging by a thread, the team’s fate largely depends on the result of the New Zealand vs. Bangladesh match on Tuesday. If results don’t go their way, Pakistan will face an early exit from the tournament.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.
