Rawalpindi, February 26 – With their title defense in tatters, Pakistan will take the field against Bangladesh on Thursday in what has now become a dead rubber in the Champions Trophy. After crushing defeats to New Zealand and arch-rivals India, Pakistan's elimination was sealed when the Kiwis secured victory over Bangladesh.
The early exit has left fans fuming, with calls for a complete overhaul of Pakistan’s cricketing structure. Yet another major tournament has ended in disappointment, marking Pakistan’s third consecutive failure to progress past the group stage in global white-ball tournaments. Similar fates were experienced in the 2024 T20 World Cup and 2023 ODI World Cup.
Pakistan’s Struggles Exposed
Pakistan’s outdated and sluggish approach to the modern game has been brutally exposed. While other teams have embraced an aggressive mindset, Pakistan’s top order has appeared tentative, accumulating an astonishing 161 dot balls against New Zealand and 147 against India. Their batting lacks urgency, often waiting until the latter half of the innings to accelerate—a repeatedly backfired strategy.Adding to their woes, key players have underperformed. Fakhar Zaman’s injury left a glaring void at the top, and his replacement, Imam-ul-Haq, has failed to make an impact. Meanwhile, Babar Azam and skipper Mohammad Rizwan have not lived up to expectations, crumbling under pressure when the team needed them the most.
Pakistan’s bowling—once their greatest strength—has also faltered. The formidable pace trio of Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Haris Rauf has looked off-color, unable to generate the firepower they are known for. Despite playing on spin-friendly tracks in Dubai and Karachi, Pakistan surprisingly included only one specialist spinner, Abrar Ahmed, leaving their attack toothless.
Beyond the field, Pakistan’s instability has played a significant role in their decline. A revolving door of selectors, eight different coaches—including South African World Cup winner Gary Kirsten—and four captains in just three years have left the team without direction or consistency.
Bangladesh’s Campaign Ends in Disappointment
Like Pakistan, Bangladesh has endured a forgettable tournament, suffering defeats against India and New Zealand to crash out of contention. Despite flashes of resilience from Towhid Hridoy, captain Najmul Hossain Shanto, and Jaker Ali, their batting lineup has largely misfired.Their struggles against spin—despite thriving on similar conditions at home—have been particularly damaging. Moreover, sloppy fielding, including crucial dropped catches in both matches, has cost them dearly.
A Chance to Salvage Some Pride
With nothing but pride at stake, both teams will be eager to finish their campaigns on a positive note. Bangladesh may sense an opportunity to take advantage of Pakistan’s disarray, while Pakistan will look to end their dismal run with a consolation victory.The match is set to begin at 2:30 PM IST.
Squads:
Pakistan: Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Salman Ali Agha (vice-captain), Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Tayyab Tahir, Faheem Ashraf, Khushdil Shah, Usman Khan, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi.Bangladesh: Nazmul Hossain Shanto (captain), Soumya Sarkar, Tanzid Hasan, Towhid Hridoy, Mushfiqur Rahim (wicketkeeper), Mahmudullah, Jaker Ali Anik, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Rishad Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Parvez Hossain Emon, Nasum Ahmed, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Nahid Rana.
Last updated by a enewsx: