Pakistan’s cricket team, led by Mohammad Rizwan, exited the Champions Trophy 2025 after losing both matches to New Zealand and India, facing harsh criticism from fans and experts. Interim coach Aaqib Javed refuted claims of scolding players, emphasizing a respectful approach to coaching. He noted that the team’s scoring rate was a major issue, advocating for letting conditions dictate play rather than fixating on targets. Javed stressed the need for consistency within the cricket board to foster long-term improvements, highlighting that success requires stable policies and management over time to enhance the team’s performance.
Pakistan has been eliminated from the Champions Trophy 2025© AFP
The Pakistan cricket team had an underwhelming performance in the ongoing Champions Trophy 2025, as the squad led by Mohammad Rizwan was knocked out with one match to spare. They suffered defeats in both their games against New Zealand and India, leading to significant criticism from both analysts and fans. Interim head coach Aaqib Javed, however, refused to “scold” the players for their lackluster performance in the tournament. While some media reports suggested that he directed harsh words at the batsmen, he stated before the match against Bangladesh that he does not subscribe to such an approach.
“I don’t reprimand the players at all. In our culture, teachers scold and punish, coaches reprimand and criticize. I don’t believe in this. I have respect for the players. You can assist them. You can guide them in practice and let them play as they wish. I’m not one to berate individuals or speak harshly to them,” he expressed.
Furthermore, Javed highlighted that Pakistan’s scoring rate was a significant issue for the team. He mentioned that teams do not chase a specific target at the outset and instead allow the conditions to dictate their play.
“We mix strategies – for instance, in the T20 World Cup – 220 seems like a distant aim – we weren’t even reaching 120. So, generally speaking, we scored around 150-125, and there was no necessity to aim for 250. Hence, we need to elevate our game, and for that, consistency is key.”
“Consistency within your cricket board and in every aspect is vital. If you observe the changes within the Cricket Board over the past 4-5 years, without allowing a policy to be implemented in the long term, achieving consistency will remain difficult. We discuss the players and make comparisons with other teams, but we must also evaluate the board – until consistency is established and a policy is permitted to take root, progress will falter,” he added.
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