Pakistan’s white-ball captain, Mohammad Rizwan, admitted that fielding lapses and tactical errors cost them dearly in their six-wicket loss to India in the ICC Champions Trophy at Dubai International Stadium. The defeat leaves Pakistan on the brink of an early exit from the tournament, as India chased down their target with ease.
Rizwan acknowledged that his team couldn’t capitalize on the toss advantage, praising India’s bowlers for their disciplined performance. “We won the toss, but we didn’t get the benefit of it. Their bowlers bowled very well. Saud Shakeel and I wanted to take the game deep, but our shot selection let us down,” said Rizwan. He also emphasized Pakistan’s shortcomings in fielding, which allowed Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill to take the game away.
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Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar did not hold back in his criticism, calling out the team management for poor tactical planning. In a video posted on ‘X,’ Akhtar expressed his frustration with Pakistan’s decision to not play a fifth specialist bowler, labeling the approach as “brainless management.” He was particularly harsh in questioning the lack of clarity in selection and strategy.
In contrast, Akhtar showered praise on Virat Kohli for his match-winning knock. Kohli’s unbeaten century not only guided India to victory but also marked his 14,000th run in ODI cricket, cementing his legacy as one of the game’s modern greats.
With this win, India sits comfortably at the top of the Group A standings with four points. Pakistan will need a win against Bangladesh on Thursday to keep their semi-final hopes alive, while India’s next challenge comes against New Zealand on March 2.
