Pakistan's Champions Trophy 2025 performance was a complete disaster as they became the first ever team in the tournament history to end their campaign without a single win being a host. Hosting an ICC tournament for the first time in 29 years, Mohammad Rizwan's side suffered a humiliating group-stage exit within a mere five days. Their back-to-back defeats against New Zealand and India culminated in their early elimination from the Champions Trophy 2025. They hoped for a consolation win against Bangladesh in their last league-stage match, but rain gods were in no mood to fulfill even that wish. The final league-stage match between Pakistan against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi was abandoned due to persistent rain, leaving the Men in Green languishing at the bottom of the table with no points. Pakistan's disastrous Champions Trophy campaign invited a lot of flak from fans, cricket pundits, former players alike to an extent that it has even drawn the attention of Pakistan's Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif.
Pakistan's PM to review team's Champions Trophy disaster in parliament
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s political and public affairs advisor, Rana Sanaullah revealed in an interview with IANS that the PM intends to personally address the team's horrendous outing in the Champions Trophy 2025. Moreover he also hinted that this cricket-related issue will be raised in the Pakistani parliament.
“The Prime Minister will personally take notice, and we will also ask him to raise these cricket-related issues in the cabinet as well as in the parliament," Sanaullah stated.
The dismal performance of the Pakistani cricket team in the Champions Trophy has sparked widespread concern among cricket experts and former players in the country. They attribute the team's failure not only to the players' performance but also to a decline in the grassroots level of cricket.
Rana Sanaullah, the Prime Minister's aide, has called for transparency regarding the financial expenditures on professional cricket. He believes that the public has a right to know how resources are being allocated within the sport, further emphasizing the need for accountability and reform.
“The sport at college and district levels is in a bad position, and the amount that has been spent on a professional level should be revealed before the public", he added.
As per a report by The Express Tribune, Rana Sanaullah, addressing concerns about the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), drew attention to the high salaries of its high-ranking officials. According to reports, these individuals are receiving up to Rs5 million per month, a figure that has been corroborated by media outlets. Sanaullah criticized this, highlighting that many of these officials lack a clear understanding of their responsibilities, yet continue to receive substantial compensation without fulfilling their duties.
Moreover, he expressed astonishment at the extravagant perks and privileges enjoyed by PCB officials, questioning whether they were operating within a Pakistani institution or a developed nation. Sanaullah attributed these issues to a long-standing pattern of mismanagement within the PCB, where individuals have seized control through influence and then acted with impunity. This unchecked power, he argued, has directly contributed to the current state of decline within the Pakistan Cricket Board.
Meanwhile, the review could potentially lead to massive shake up within the squad, with reports indicating that prominent players such as Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, and Naseem Shah may face exclusion. Despite interim head coach Aaqib Javed's public declaration that he has no intention of resigning in the wake of the team's failure, it is widely anticipated that the PCB will terminate his contract.