Pakistan experienced a disastrous Champions Trophy 2025, getting eliminated without securing a single victory. The Mohammad Rizwan-led team suffered defeats in their initial matches against India and New Zealand, and their final game against Bangladesh was rained out. Pakistani cricketers faced considerable criticism from both analysts and fans due to their subpar performance.
Former Pakistani fast bowler Sarfraz Nawaz believes that the Pakistan team selection was fundamentally flawed. He even claimed that certain players were included in the squad due to influence from higher-ups.
“The Champions Trophy team was not balanced. Some players were chosen because they had support from higher authorities. When the team list was released, I informed the PCB chairman that spinners such as Sajid Khan and Noman Ali should be considered, as they had previously performed strongly against England. They also played well against the West Indies, but they were completely ignored,” Nawaz stated in an interview.
Nawaz further commented that India has surpassed Pakistan in their cricketing rivalry and even suggested that Pakistan cricket is declining. He also criticized the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for appointing individuals who have previously harmed Pakistan cricket and for making frequent changes to the team structure.
“There’s no question that India is now far ahead of Pakistan. Pakistan cricket is currently struggling, and I believe this is due to the non-cricketing PCB officials who manage the board. They are bureaucrats and lack cricketing knowledge, which affects their decision-making. They have appointed individuals who have previously damaged Pakistan cricket.”
“Furthermore, the PCB experiences constant changes. In just eighteen months, there have been three chairmen and four captains. What positive outcomes can be expected under such instability?” he added.
