Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan has acknowledged that his team’s journey in the Champions Trophy is all but over following their six-wicket defeat to India on Sunday. “For now, we can say that it’s over. This is the truth,” Rizwan admitted.

Although Pakistan has lost both of their opening league matches, they are still mathematically in the tournament. Their qualification now depends on favorable outcomes from other matches, particularly a win for Bangladesh against New Zealand on Monday.

Rizwan, however, is not in favor of advancing under such circumstances. “As a captain, I don’t like this approach. If you can win, do it; if not, don’t depend on others. I don’t believe in progressing by relying on other teams,” he emphasized.

Despite the setback, Rizwan remains hopeful. “We’ll wait and see how Bangladesh performs against New Zealand, how New Zealand fares against India, and how we play in our next match. The journey continues, and we place our trust in Allah,” he added.

Team Selection and Tactical Decisions

Addressing Pakistan’s decision to field only one specialist spinner, Rizwan defended the strategy. “You can’t say we made a mistake. India played three spinners, but only Kuldeep Yadav is a front-line bowler. Jadeja and Axar Patel are all-rounders, just like our options in Salman Ali Agha and Khushdil Shah, who have performed well before,” he explained.

Batting Collapse and Missed Opportunities

Pakistan’s middle-order struggles played a crucial role in their loss. “We knew 270-280 would be a competitive total on this slow pitch with a sluggish outfield. Saud Shakeel (62) and I (46) tried to build a partnership, but poor shot selection cost us. Once our stand was broken, the middle-order failed to handle the pressure,” Rizwan conceded.

At one point, Pakistan was in a strong position at 151/2, courtesy of a 104-run third-wicket partnership between Rizwan and Saud Shakeel. However, a sudden collapse saw them bowled out for 241, allowing India to chase down the target comfortably.

As the defending champions, Pakistan’s chances of progressing now hinge on results from other teams, making their final league game against Bangladesh a must-win.