By dubailife 
Pakistan’s Champions Trophy Hopes Hang by a Thread After Dubai Defeat
Dubai: Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan has admitted that the defending Champions Trophy winners are all but out of contention after a crushing six-wicket loss to India at Dubai International Stadium. This defeat follows their 60-run loss in the opening game against New Zealand, leaving Pakistan with only a single game against Bangladesh and their fate dependent on other results.
Pakistan, a team that has frequently found itself in similar do-or-die situations in major ICC tournaments, now faces a steep uphill battle. Rizwan, however, does not appreciate relying on external factors.
“For now, we can say it’s over—that’s the reality,” Rizwan conceded after the match. “We have to see what happens between Bangladesh and New Zealand, then what New Zealand does against India, and finally our own performance. It’s a long road, and it depends on other teams.”
Pakistan’s Struggles Continue in ICC Tournaments
Pakistan’s exit from the Champions Trophy will be confirmed if New Zealand beats Bangladesh in Rawalpindi on Monday. If that happens, it will mark the third consecutive ICC white-ball tournament where Pakistan has failed to reach the knockout stage.
Since taking over as white-ball captain last year, Rizwan has led Pakistan to ODI series wins in Australia and South Africa. However, recurring mistakes have plagued the team, as seen in the recent tri-series against New Zealand and South Africa and in their Champions Trophy campaign.
“We’ve been making the same mistakes repeatedly over the last few matches. These aren’t new errors; we’ve been struggling with them for the last four games. We work on them, but at the end of the day, we are human, and mistakes happen,” Rizwan said.
His own innings—a sluggish 46 off 77 balls—will likely come under scrutiny, much like Babar Azam’s slow start in the first match. Though Rizwan accelerated towards the end, his dismissal triggered a collapse that left Pakistan struggling for momentum.
Batting Woes and Selection Questions
Pakistan had set a target of 270-280, considering Dubai’s slow outfield and pitch conditions. However, a middle-order collapse, triggered by poor shot selection, prevented them from achieving a competitive total.
“Saud [Shakeel] and I were building a partnership, but we took too much time. Then our poor shot selection cost us. That gave India the opportunity to take wickets and apply pressure, which we couldn’t recover from,” Rizwan explained.
Pakistan’s batting lineup had already been weakened before the tournament began, with Saim Ayub’s ankle injury and Fakhar Zaman’s early exit in the first game. Rizwan acknowledged their absence as a setback, especially since Ayub provided an extra spin-bowling option.
The squad selection has also been questioned, particularly the decision to include only one specialist spinner, Abrar Ahmed, despite spin-friendly conditions in Dubai. Rizwan defended the selection strategy, pointing out that other teams balance their bowling attack with all-rounders.
“In ODIs, you can’t go with five genuine bowlers. Look at New Zealand; they have [Mitchell] Santner and [Michael] Bracewell. India has [Ravindra] Jadeja and [Axar] Patel. Our best options were picked—Salman Agha and Khushdil Shah. If we go with two specialist spinners, it means we’ll have only six batters, which isn’t a balanced combination for an ODI,” Rizwan clarified.
Looking Ahead
With only one match left in the group stage, Pakistan’s Champions Trophy campaign now depends on favorable results from other teams. While Rizwan remains hopeful for a miracle, he acknowledges that Pakistan must address its recurring issues to compete effectively in future tournaments.
“India played with more intent and bravery, and that’s why they won. We made mistakes, and maybe in crucial moments, we didn’t show enough courage. In our fielding, we needed more energy, but we fell short. That’s why we lost,” he concluded.
Pakistan’s journey in Dubai has been disappointing, but the lessons learned here could shape their approach for future ICC tournaments. Whether or not they sneak into the semifinals, a serious rethink is needed to avoid repeating the same mistakes on cricket’s biggest stage.