The 2025 ICC Champions Trophy has turned into a nightmare for Pakistan. Hosting the tournament on home soil, Pakistan became the first team to be eliminated after suffering consecutive defeats in their opening two matches. New Zealand's victory over Bangladesh, securing their semi-final spot, simultaneously ended Pakistan's campaign.
Sports News: Despite hosting the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, the Indian team played all their matches in Dubai due to security concerns. The tournament proved disappointing for Pakistan. They faced a 60-run defeat against New Zealand in their first match and a 6-wicket loss to India in their second. These two defeats extinguished Pakistan's hopes of reaching the semi-finals.
Worst Performance Despite Hosting
When a nation hosts a major tournament, a b performance is expected. However, Pakistan failed to meet these expectations. A 60-run loss to New Zealand in the first match, followed by a 6-wicket defeat to India, resulted in their early exit from the tournament.
The tournament started with a setback as opener Sam Ayub was ruled out due to injury. Fakhar Zaman replaced him, but he was injured in the second ball of the first match. Bowling was also a weakness; Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah proved expensive, and a lack of a b spinner was also evident.
Records Pakistan Didn't Want to Set
* For the first time since 2009, a host nation was eliminated in the group stage.
* Despite being the defending champions, Pakistan became the fourth team to be eliminated after consecutive defeats.
* For the first time since 2013, a defending champion (Pakistan) failed to win a single match in the tournament.
Not Even Rain Can Save Pakistan Now
Pakistan's final match against Bangladesh is scheduled for February 27th, but there's a possibility of cancellation due to rain. If this happens, Pakistan will end the tournament without a single victory, adding another disappointing chapter to their cricketing history.
