Pakistan’s Champions Trophy 2025 campaign got off to a disastrous start, with a 60-run defeat to New Zealand sparking intense criticism of captain Babar Azam. His slow-paced innings during the chase, coupled with an overall lackluster team performance, left Pakistan struggling, prompting former cricketer Basit Ali to question Babar’s intent.
Batting alongside Saud Shakeel, Babar’s cautious approach saw him crawl to 64 off 90 balls while chasing a stiff target of 321. His slow scoring rate put pressure on the middle order, and with Mohammad Rizwan (3 off 14) and Shakeel (6 off 19) failing to fire, Pakistan’s chase never gained momentum. Though Khushdil Shah (69 off 49) and Salman Agha (42 off 28) added some much-needed aggression later in the innings, it was too late to salvage the game, and Pakistan were bowled out for 260.
Basit Ali did not hold back in his criticism, questioning whether Babar was playing for personal milestones rather than the team’s success. “He took 81 balls for his fifty. Was he playing for himself, not for the nation? Is the nation first, or Babar? Is the nation below him?” Basit remarked during a discussion on a channel. He also pointed out that while Babar managed just five fours in his innings, Salman Agha, who played significantly fewer deliveries, hit more boundaries.
Beyond individual performances, Pakistan’s bowling unit also failed to make an impact. New Zealand’s top order dominated, with Will Young (107) and Tom Latham (118*) tearing through the attack. Haris Rauf, despite picking up two wickets, was expensive, conceding 83 runs, while Shaheen Afridi finished wicketless. Naseem Shah showed promise early on but failed to contain the onslaught in the death overs.
Adding to Pakistan’s woes, this loss marked their fourth consecutive defeat to New Zealand in the Champions Trophy, further cementing the Kiwis’ unbeaten record against them in the tournament. With mounting criticism and pressure, Pakistan will need a drastic turnaround to keep their campaign alive.
