Pakistan on brink of Champions Trophy exit after crushing defeat to India

Pakistan, led by captain Mohammad Rizwan, suffered a devastating six-wicket defeat against India in the Champions Trophy 2025, leaving them on the verge of elimination. The high-stakes clash at the Dubai International Stadium on February 23 saw Virat Kohli shine with a match-winning century, his 51st in ODI cricket, helping India chase down Pakistan’s modest target of 242 runs with ease.

Despite resilient knocks from Saud Shakeel (62) and Rizwan himself (46), Pakistan’s batting lineup crumbled, failing to withstand India’s disciplined bowling attack. Frustrated by his team’s poor performance, Rizwan acknowledged that Pakistan’s sloppy fielding and poor shot selection were key reasons for their heavy defeat.

“We won the toss but couldn’t capitalize. Our target was 280, but India’s bowlers dominated the middle overs. Saud and I tried to build a partnership, but poor shot selection cost us wickets, leaving us with just 241. Abrar got us an early breakthrough, but Kohli and Gill took the game away. Our fielding was below par, and we repeated mistakes. We need to address these issues moving forward,” Rizwan said during the post-match presentation.

With this crushing loss against their arch-rivals, Pakistan faces an uphill battle to stay alive in the tournament.