Pakistan cricket team captain Mohammad Rizwan admitted that the side’s Champions Trophy dream was all but over. The defending champions were handed a 6-wicket thrashing at the hands of arch-rivals India on Sunday. The defeat marked the second defeat in the tournament for the hosts, having lost their opening match to New Zealand.
“It is over”: Rizwan on Pakistan’s Champions Trophy dreams
Speaking at the post-match press conference, Rizwan admitted that Pakistan’s Champions Trophy journey was over at the moment. He accepted that the team was humbled by India and New Zealand but claimed that they can’t say that they should stay on someone else’s side. Rizwan said that Pakistan’s Champions Trophy dreams now hinged on other teams.
“For now, we can say that it’s over. This is the truth. As a captain, I honestly don’t like this. If you can win, then do it. If you can’t, then don’t worry about it. I don’t care if you are sitting in someone else’s shadow,” Rizwan said.
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“In the next match, we’ll see what Bangladesh does with New Zealand, what New Zealand does with India, and what we do. It’s a long journey. Yes, we have hope and belief in Allah. Our dependence on the Champions Trophy has now come on other teams,” Rizwan added.
Pakistan managed to amass just 241 runs in the 1st innings, with Saud Shakeel (62) top scoring for the side. In response, India managed to chase down the target within 43 overs, with Virat Kohli staying unbeaten on 100. Pakistan’s strategy in Champions Trophy has come under fire, especially for playing lack of bowlers in their playing XI.
“You can’t say that we made a mistake by picking just one spinner. If you look at that Indian team also they have Kuldeep as the front-line spinner. Jadeja and Axar Patel are all-rounders. We also have Salman Ali Agha and Khushdil Shah. They bowled very well in the past,” Rizwan said.
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