Daijiworld Media Network- Rawalpindi
Rawalpindi, Feb 28: Pakistan skipper Mohammad Rizwan has expressed deep disappointment following his team’s early exit from the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, which was jointly hosted by Pakistan and the UAE.
Pakistan’s final group-stage clash against Bangladesh ended in a washout, leaving them with just one point and placing them at the bottom of Group A. Earlier, back-to-back defeats against New Zealand and India had already sealed their fate, knocking them out of the semi-final race.
Reflecting on Pakistan’s underwhelming campaign, Rizwan admitted that the team's balance was disturbed due to the injuries of key players Saim Ayub and Fakhar Zaman.
"We wanted to do well and perform in front of our nation. The expectations were very high, but we didn’t perform well, and it is disappointing for us," Rizwan told ICC.
The skipper emphasized the impact of Ayub’s injury, stating:
"The guy who has been performing in Australia, South Africa, Zimbabwe… the team was well-combined, and then suddenly, when someone gets injured, the team gets disturbed."
Fakhar Zaman, who played the opening game against New Zealand, suffered an oblique muscle strain, while Saim Ayub—Pakistan’s standout performer in recent ODI series against Australia and South Africa—was ruled out after sustaining an ankle injury during the Test series against South Africa.
When asked about Pakistan’s bench strength, Rizwan acknowledged the need for better development at the domestic level.
"We need improvements in different areas. If we want Pakistan to reach a high standard, we need more awareness and professionalism. We see glimpses of that in the Champions Cup, but we still need further improvement," the 32-year-old remarked.
Pakistan will now tour New Zealand for a five-match T20I and three-ODI series, starting March 16. Rizwan assured fans that the team is determined to bounce back strongly.
"We have made mistakes in the last few games. Hopefully, we can learn from them. Our next assignment is New Zealand, and we are eager to do better there. The mistakes we made against them here in Pakistan, we will learn from them and improve," the wicketkeeper-batter concluded.
With lessons learned from the Champions Trophy, the Men in Green will now look to redeem themselves on their upcoming New Zealand tour.