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Pakistan's humiliating defeat against India in their Champions Trophy clash on February 23 left Ahmed Shehzad heartbroken, to an extent that he went on to declare that cricket has now finished in the country. Shehzad's strong statement germinated from the deep sense of frustration felt by many Pakistani fans following the highly anticipated match.
Ahmed Shehzad declares death of cricket in Pakistan
Pakistan team was no match to India side as they completely surrendered to Men in Blue's disciplined bowling attack. Virat Kohli did the rest with his masterful century to make the light work of Pakistan's modest target of 242 runs.
Consequently, Ahmed Shehzad brutally criticised the dismal performance of the Pakistan team, which now stare at early elimination from Champions Trophy. If Pakistan get knocked out they will become the first-ever host team to be eliminated from the Champions Trophy in the league stage.
"People say that the team doesn't have a system where players are selected through favouritism, but they do. We've seen it. We know everything. We'll tell the truth to the whole world unless we feel that you're going towards the right direction. There was only one sport left in Pakistan. That was cricket. Today, that has also finished," Ahmed Shehzad said while speaking at the show on Geo.tv.
Mohammad Rizwan-led Pakistan got off to a horrific start to the Champions Trophy as they suffered back-to-back defeat in their first two matches of the ongoing Champions Trophy 2025. Their campaign began with a heavy 60-run loss to New Zealand in their opening match, where they failed to chase a target of 321 runs, being dismissed for 260 in the 48th over at the National Stadium in Karachi. Pakistan then went down to India by six wickets which pushed them on the verge of early elimination from the tournament.
With their hopes hanging in the balance, Pakistan's fate now partly relies on the outcome of the match between Bangladesh and New Zealand. They are hoping for a Bangladesh victory, which would keep the group stage competitive and extend their chances of qualifying for the semifinals. However, if New Zealand end up beating Bangladesh, they will secure their spot alongside India, eliminating Pakistan from contention.
Meanwhile, adding to the analysis of the team's performance, former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi also expressed his concerns regarding the team's approach. He cautioned that if the team continues to play with a '1980-90 mindset' in 2025, they are destined for further losses.
"I knew this is going to happen. If you play cricket from 1980-90 mindset in 2025 then you will definetely lose the game. According to me after 2017 whatever ICC events have come, there is nothing for Pakistan but we always talk about our preparations. We don't know which team to play in our home conditions. We didn't attack during the time of our bowling. If you have to win against big teams you have to play with an attacking approach," Shahid Afridi said while speaking on Samaa TV.
