3 Major Fixes Pakistan Must Make After Champions Trophy Exit

Pakistan’s early exit from the Champions Trophy has exposed serious flaws in their cricket system. Heavy defeats against New Zealand and India showed a lack of planning, poor team selection, and outdated gameplay. With nothing to play for in their final match against Bangladesh, it’s time for a major overhaul.

Pakistan’s squad selection lacked balance, leading to weak performances.
Senior players underperformed, raising concerns about their future.
Pakistan’s ODI strategy is outdated and needs urgent changes.

1) Revamp the Selection Committee

Pakistan’s selection panel, led by Aaqib Javed, made questionable decisions for the Champions Trophy. Despite playing in spin-friendly conditions, the team had only one front-line spinner. Additionally, Saim Ayub’s injury left them with just one proper opener (Fakhar Zaman), who was also ruled out due to injury.

This forced Babar Azam to open, a move that failed. The selectors failed to plan for such situations, exposing their lack of foresight. To rebuild for future tournaments, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) must reconsider their selection strategies and possibly bring in new decision-makers.

2) Drop Out-of-Form Players

Several star players failed to perform in the tournament. Let’s look at the stats:

Player	Matches	Runs	Wickets	Strike Rate
Babar Azam	2	87	–	75.00
Shaheen Afridi	2	–	2	54.00 (Bowling)
Mohammad Rizwan	2	49	–	53.85

These three have been Pakistan’s backbone, but their poor form has hurt the team. Babar Azam hasn’t scored an ODI century since August 2023, and Shaheen Afridi has struggled to take wickets consistently.

The team management must take bold decisions. If players are out of form, they should be benched or replaced with younger talent. Giving fresh players a chance will increase competition and improve overall team performance.

ALSO READ: Pakistan’s Squad Analysis: Strengths, Weaknesses, and Star Players

3) Modernize Pakistan’s ODI Approach

Pakistan’s batting approach is outdated. In their game against New Zealand, they played 61 dot balls while chasing 321 runs. In modern cricket, teams aim for aggressive starts, but Pakistan still follows an early 2000s strategy.

Other top teams prioritize high run rates, attacking play, and quick strike rotation. Pakistan must adopt a modern ODI template by:

Encouraging aggressive batting from ball one.
Reducing dot balls to maintain scoring pressure.
Promoting power-hitters who can change games quickly.

Without these changes, Pakistan will continue struggling in major tournaments.

Pakistan’s Champions Trophy exit should be a wake-up call. The selectors must be held accountable, out-of-form players should make way for fresh talent, and the team’s ODI strategy must evolve. If Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) takes decisive action, the team can bounce back stronger in future competitions.

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