Pakistan’s third consecutive group-stage exit in an ICC tournament has left fans in shock and anger, but this one stings the most.

Hosting a major ICC event for the first time in 29 years, Pakistan delivered their worst-ever performance in a home tournament. The tournament’s hosting had been a subject of long negotiations, with India reluctant to travel to Pakistan. However, after months of discussions, Pakistan’s campaign lasted only four days before they were knocked out.

A team that had recently defeated South Africa and Australia in their own conditions shockingly went winless on home soil, a case study that will be revisited for years. Expectations were high, especially with Mohammad Rizwan as captain, given his impressive domestic track record. Additionally, Pakistan had all three of their best pacers available, yet they failed to secure a single victory in the tournament.

Despite notable victories against top ODI sides, former cricketers and experts had voiced concerns about the squad’s suitability for the conditions well before the tournament. These concerns escalated when Saim Ayub suffered an injury, triggering a chaotic selection process.

Pakistan’s disastrous Champions Trophy exit was a result of outdated cricketing strategy and questionable selections. Will it learn anything from it?

Pakistan made multiple changes, bringing in Faheem Ashraf and Khushdil Shah while surprisingly dropping Irfan Khan Niazi, who had been identified as a finisher in previous series and showed promise. Given that the tournament was at home, dropping him was a baffling decision.

Faheem Ashraf’s inclusion raised eyebrows, considering his dismal recent record — averaging 8.9 with the bat and 104.75 with the........

© Dawn (Magazines)