Shehbaz Sharif to Address Pakistan's Poor Champions Trophy 2025 Performance in Parliament

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is expected to look into the national cricket team's poor performance in the 2025 Champions Trophy. According to his aide on Political and Public Affairs, Rana Sanaullah, the Prime Minister will also bring up the issue in his cabinet and discuss it in parliament.

Pakistan's journey in the ICC tournament ended in disappointment on Wednesday as their final group-stage match against Bangladesh was washed out due to rain. This was a particularly bitter exit, as it marked the first time since 1996 that Pakistan was hosting an ICC event.

The team's campaign had already been struggling after a crushing 60-run defeat to New Zealand and a six-wicket loss to arch-rivals India. Hopes of a semifinal spot were officially dashed when New Zealand secured their place by defeating Bangladesh, sealing the fate of both India and New Zealand in the next stage.

“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," Rana Sanaullah said, as quoted by IANS.

Pakistan's captain, Mohammad Rizwan, and assistant coach, Azhar Mahmood, admitted that losing openers Saim Ayub and Fakhar Zaman to injuries made things tough for the team. They also felt that the players were too hard on themselves and took too much pressure during the match against India.

“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", said Rana Sanaullah.

For the first time in history, the host team couldn’t win a single match in an ICC tournament. However, Pakistan’s poor performance in the Champions Trophy wasn’t a big surprise. Many had predicted their struggles due to their bad form, especially after losing a tri-series at home right before the tournament and the ongoing instability in their coaching staff and captaincy.

Now, since the defeats, reports have claimed that the team’s brand value will also take a hit, which can affect sponsorship deals. The board is said to be lining up to sack interim head coach Aaqib Javed and other overhauls.

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