India defeated Pakistan by six wickets in the Champions Trophy, knocking them out of the semi-final race. Pakistan, led by Mohammad Rizwan, struggled in both batting and bowling at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
During the post match press conference Pakistan’s interim coach Aaqib Javed mentioned that some key players were missing, which affected the team's performance. He pointed out that players like Saim Ayub and Fakhar Zaman make a big difference in matches, and without them, the team had to adjust their selection.
“Certain players who are crucial for the team in specific games were missing. Players like Saim Ayub and Fakhar Zaman create a positive impact in matches. When they are unavailable, we have to select the team accordingly.”
Javed emphasized that India playing all their matches in Dubai wasn’t the reason for Pakistan’s defeat; the real issue was Pakistan’s lack of experience.
"Team India definitely has the advantage of playing all their matches in the same ground in Dubai. But we did not lose to India because of this reason, we lost because of our inexperience in the team as compared to India."
Pakistan & Bangladesh match called off due to rain
The match between Pakistan and Bangladesh was washed out due to heavy rain in Rawalpindi on Thursday, with both teams sharing a point. As a result, Pakistan finished last in Group A without a single win. New Zealand, who had already beaten both Pakistan and Bangladesh, secured a spot in the next round along with India of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
