New Zealand’s victory over Bangladesh in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Group A match on Monday marked the end of the road for hosts Pakistan, who were eliminated from the tournament in the group stage.
After suffering defeats against New Zealand and India in their first two matches, Pakistan’s campaign was on the verge of collapse. New Zealand’s win against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi confirmed Pakistan’s early exit. As a result, Mohammad Rizwan’s team set several embarrassing records during the tournament.
This is the first time since 2009 that a host nation has failed to progress beyond the group stages of the Champions Trophy. In the 2009 edition, South Africa did not qualify for the knockouts, having won only one match and lost two in the group stage.
Pakistan became only the fourth team to enter the Champions Trophy as defending champions and exit in the group stages. In the 2004 edition, both India and Sri Lanka were eliminated in the group stages after being crowned joint-winners in 2002. In the 2013 campaign, defending champions Australia failed to win a single match and were also eliminated in the group stage.
On Sunday, India delivered a clinical performance to defeat traditional rivals Pakistan at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Batting first, Pakistan was bowled out for 241 runs. Virat Kohli’s 51st ODI hundred, supported by Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer, helped India chase the target with 45 balls to spare, bringing them closer to the semifinals.
According to a PTI report, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced that head coach Aaqib Javed will be relieved of his duties following the Champions Trophy. A PCB source stated, “Obviously there is backlash over the team’s performance in the CT. The Board hasn’t decided yet on whether the team will have separate head coaches (for red and white ball teams), but one thing is certain: the current support staff will be overhauled after the poor show in the Champions Trophy.”
The source added, “But with the way the Board has been changing coaches and selectors since last year, it will be a challenge to find other candidates for these positions.”
This was Pakistan’s first time hosting an ICC tournament since the 1996 World Cup.
