Gloom and demands for wholesale changes have engulfed cricket-crazy Pakistan after the hosts crashed out of the Champions Trophy in the group stage, barely a week into celebrating the return of a major tournament.
The titleholders lost their opening game to New Zealand by 60 runs in Karachi on Wednesday, before Sunday’s six-wicket defeat to archrivals India pushed them to the brink of an early exit.
Pakistan needed Bangladesh to beat New Zealand on Monday to keep their slim hopes of a place in the semifinals alive, but the result went the other way.
Thursday’s game with Bangladesh in Rawalpindi has been reduced to a dead-rubber match.
“We have been backing these players for the last few years, but they are not learning nor improving,” former captain Wasim Akram told the AFP news agency.
“It is time for a major shake-up. We need to improve our system of domestic cricket so that we can produce quality cricketers, not ordinary ones.”
A lack of competitiveness in domestic cricket and low-quality pitches have been blamed for not preparing players for the international stage.
The sport in Pakistan is also held back by frequent changes to the cricket board, coaching teams and selection panels, critics say.
Such changes are driven by politics and not merit, according to observers.
“I feel very despondent with the state of Pakistan cricket,” former captain Rashid Latif said.
“We have to follow merit and bring in professionals in the administration of the game and not people on a political basis.
“Frequent changes in the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), selection committee and captains have failed us in forming a proper set-up and team.”
The early elimination stings for a country that had relished hosting its first major cricket tournament in 29 years, after significant improvements in security.
Former Pakistan captain and popular all-rounder Shahid Afridi accused Pakistan of playing outdated cricket.
“In 2025 Pakistan was playing the cricket style of the 1980s and 1990s while other teams had progressed well to adopt an aggressive and modern style,” he said.
“We need a complete overhaul of the system so that we can produce players with an aggressive mindset.”
‘Cricket is dead in Pakistan’
“We were thrilled that an international event had finally returned to our country, but the joy was short-lived,” said 26-year-old Umar Siraj, a pharmacist in Rawalpindi.
“The hardest part of being a Pakistan fan is that you end up praying for other teams to lose,” he chuckled. “It’s painful. I’m gutted.”
Pakistan’s Champions Trophy flop is nothing new. They also crashed out of the 2023 ODI World Cup in the first round in India.
It was followed by their exit at the same stage in the Twenty20 World Cup in the United States and West Indies last year – a tournament won by neighbours India.
Pakistan last month finished ninth and last in the World Test Championship after drawing a home series with the West Indies.
The latest debacle, and on home soil, represents a new low.
“It is disappointing that they didn’t even put up a fight,” said Naseem Satti, a 46-year-old government worker.
“We have no quality bowlers, no reliable batters and it seems cricket is dead in Pakistan.”
Asma Batool, a 52-year-old housewife, underlined just what cricket means to people in Pakistan.
“Cricket is the only source of entertainment for our youth,” she said.
“Our nation finds solace in this game.”
Injuries, poor form deal lethal blows
Mohammad Rizwan was appointed Pakistan’s white-ball skipper in October and led Pakistan to an impressive 2-1 ODI win over world champions Australia – their first series victory in 22 years in the country.
They also won in Zimbabwe and inflicted on South Africa their first home whitewash, with a 3-0 scoreline.
However, fast-rising opener Saim Ayub injured his ankle during a subsequent Test in South Africa and Pakistan delayed the announcement of their Champions Trophy squad until the deadline to wait on Ayub’s fitness even as the left-hander failed to recover.
To add to the home team’s woes, fellow opener Fakhar Zaman was ruled out of the rest of the tournament after the first match – a 60-run defeat to New Zealand – with a muscle injury.
Pakistan’s much-vaunted pace attack of Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf – rested from the Test series to keep them fresh – looked rusty and failed to control the death overs.
When Zaman was ruled out, the team brought in Imam-ul-Haq as a replacement. He made just 10 as Pakistan were crushed by title favourites India by six wickets.
In a surprise move, they included in the squad all-rounders Khushdil Shah and Faheem Ashraf on the basis of their performances in Bangladesh’s Twenty20 league. Ashraf had not played an ODI for two years and Khushdil for three.
Latif called these choices “political selection”, blaming outside influence.
Fans blame ‘losers’ mindset’
For the fans, the loss against India brought a now-familiar heartache.
Moiz Umer, a cafe owner in Karachi, said customers asked him to change the TV channel to “avoid the humiliation” of witnessing their Champions Trophy defeat to India.
“For large parts of the Indian innings, a good number of people turned their backs to the match – facing their friends instead of the screen, such was the disappointment,” said the 45-year-old in the city of Karachi.
Fans who didn’t look away watched India outclass Pakistan for the second time in eight months in an ICC event, following their clash in the ICC T20 World Cup.
“It was such a big match and we went down with a whimper,” said 42-year-old Zain Mursaleen, among around a hundred spectators with a deflated mood who had gathered to watch the match in Karachi.
“We love to see good cricket and Pakistan failed to produce that – again.”
In the garrison city adjacent to the capital Islamabad, the atmosphere was sombre from the outset before India’s star batter Virat Kohli struck an unbeaten 100.
“They came to the game with a loser’s mindset and never attempted to attack,” said 53-year-old chef Rasheed Saleem. “I doubt they even realise how disheartening it is for fans to see them go down like this.”
