Pakistan’s Champions Trophy campaign ended in disappointment as their match against Bangladesh was washed out due to rain, leaving both teams winless in the tournament. Pakistan, hosting an ICC event for the first time in 29 years, faced criticism after losing to New Zealand and India in their previous matches. Captain Mohammad Rizwan expressed disappointment and emphasized learning from mistakes, while assistant coach Azhar Mahmood highlighted injuries to key players as a factor in their poor performance. Similarly, Bangladesh’s captain Najmul Hossain Shanto called for reflection and improvement, particularly in their bowling unit, as they also finished without a win.
Pakistan’s fruitless journey in the Champions Trophy continued as their match against Bangladesh was abandoned without a ball being bowled due to relentless rain on Thursday. The contest was essentially a dead rubber, with both sides already eliminated after failing to clinch a win in their prior two matches. Pakistan, hosting an ICC tournament for the first time in 29 years, had hoped for a strong conclusion but ended their dismal campaign without a single victory.
The continuous rain left the ground drenched, with covers in place and puddles forming around the field. With no improvement in weather conditions, match officials decided to call off the game nearly two hours after the scheduled start time. The overcast conditions prevented even the toss from occurring.
Consequently, both teams received one point each, with Pakistan and Bangladesh finishing the tournament without a victory.
This marked the second match in Rawalpindi to be canceled without any play, following the washout between South Africa and Australia earlier in the week.
The rain-induced cancellation disappointed local fans, who were eager to witness action at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
Pakistan has faced criticism for their underwhelming performance in the tournament, suffering defeats against New Zealand (by 60 runs) and India (by six wickets).
“We aimed to perform well and meet the expectations of our nation. Unfortunately, we didn’t live up to those expectations, and it is quite disappointing for us,” Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan remarked.
Looking forward, Rizwan stated: “There are lessons to be learned from our mistakes. We’ve made errors in our previous matches, and I hope we can grow from this experience.”
“Our next destination is New Zealand, and we hope to perform better there, learning from the mistakes we made against New Zealand here in Pakistan. We aim to improve in New Zealand.”
‘We placed a lot of pressure on ourselves while facing India’
Pakistan’s assistant coach, Azhar Mahmood, who is from the city, attributed the team’s poor performance in the tournament to injuries among key players and the excessive pressure the team felt while playing against India.
“Our performance in this tournament has not been up to par. While we have played well in this format previously, this tournament has not gone our way due to injuries. We placed a great deal of pressure on ourselves in the match against India,” he stated.
“We recognize the areas where we need to improve. It’s about adapting and taking responsibility. The results have surprised us as well,” he added.
The former Test all-rounder emphasized the importance of maintaining faith in the players.
“We must remain committed to the talented individuals we’ve identified and allow their skills to flourish over time,” Mahmood stressed.
Pakistan lost two key players – Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub – to injuries, which significantly impacted their run.
“The players who have been excelling over the past few months in Australia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe were part of a cohesive unit, and an injury can disrupt that team dynamic,” Rizwan explained.
“As a captain, you can look forward to various challenges. On one hand, you can acknowledge that the team is shaken, but that doesn’t serve as an excuse. Yes, Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub were injured, but we will grow from this,” the captain added.
“We are all extremely disappointed. Our priority is Pakistan, and expectations are considerably high. We acknowledge our shortcomings and are hopeful that through hard work, we can bounce back,” Rizwan concluded.
Much for Bangladesh to consider
Bangladesh, who also finished their tournament winless, will return home with plenty to ponder after losing to India by six wickets and New Zealand by five wickets.
“I am very let down. We genuinely wanted to play this match, but weather conditions are beyond our control. The way we held out during those two matches was quite commendable,” stated Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto.
“We hope to learn from our mistakes and will devise a solid plan moving forward.” Regarding their bowling unit, Shanto remarked: “We have traditionally struggled with our fast bowling department, but recently, a number of talented fast bowlers have emerged.”
“Some of the fast bowlers back home are doing exceptionally well. Players like Taskin and Rana are coming through, along with Fizz. We possess a promising bowling attack, and I trust they will deliver for the team.”
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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