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'Even MS Dhoni cannot do anything with this Pakistan side': Former Pakistan captain feels they lost Champions Trophy 2025 when squad was announced

Former Pakistan women's team captain Sana Mir believes selectors are to be blamed for the early exit from Champions Trophy 2025.

Sports Tak

• Tue • 25 Feb 2025

Babar Azam of Pakistan hits a six to the mid wicket boundary as India wicketkeeper MS Dhoni looks on during the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 match at Old Trafford on June 16, 2019 in Manchester, England.

Highlights:

Sana Mir blamed Pakistan selectors for not picking a good spin attack.

Sana said that Pakistan lost the Champions Trophy 2025 the day their squad was announced.

Sana said that greats like MS Dhoni and Younis Khan would have been able to do anything with current Pakistan squad.

Former Pakistan women's team captain Sana Mir feels the co-hosts lost the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 the moment they announced the squad for the mega tournament. She feels that India's legendary captain MS Dhoni who won Champions Trophy 2013 would not have been able to anything with the current Pakistan squad.

"The 15 that have been selected (in Champions Trophy squad), even if you make MS Dhoni or (former Pakistan skipper) Younis Khan captain, nobody can do anything to the team because it has not been selected on the basis of the playing conditions," said Mir on 'Game On Hai' programme after Pakistan's loss to India by six wickets in Dubai on February 23.

Sana revealed that she got a message from a friend during India's run chase.

"I was watching the match when I got a message from a friend that India are 100 for 2 'I think it's over'. So, I said the match was over when the squad was announced," said the former all-rounder.

Sana on Pakistan selectors picking weak spin-attack

Sana pointed out that the selectors failed to pick the right squad for Dubai conditions where spin would come into play. She believes that the spinners picked were not potent enough.

"Half the tournament we had lost when we announced the 15-member squad, and I am saying this from day one.

"They (selectors) knew that Pakistan had to play at least one match in Dubai, so how did you bring two part-time spinners.

"Abrar (Ahmed), who is still new in ODI cricket... in the last five months, they have taken two wickets conceding 165 runs. The selectors removed key players who played in last two series against Australia and South Africa," said the 39-year-old.

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Sana wanted young all-rounder in squad

Abrar conceded 29 runs from 10 overs and dismissed Shubman Gill but did not get support from part-time spinners Khushdil Shah and Agha Salman. Sana was unhappy by selectors leaving out Irfan Khan.

"Irfan (Khan) Niazi was a good fielder, showed good power-hitting (in the T20I and ODI series against South Africa)... so, we lost the tournament when we announced the squad," she concluded.

With New Zealand beating Bangladesh on February 24, Pakistan have been knocked out of the tournament. Pakistan will face Bangladesh on February 27 at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in a dead rubber.