Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram has spoken out on the national team’s squad selection for the 2025 Champions Trophy. Akram emphasized that “parchi players” (those selected through favoritism) do not succeed at the highest level, asserting that the current players chosen are likely the best available.
Pakistan’s performance in the 2025 Champions Trophy opener at the National Stadium in Karachi has faced significant criticism. New Zealand dominated the match, securing a 60-run victory and extending their winning streak against Pakistan to three matches.
While discussing the match alongside Cheteshwar Pujara and Nikhil Chopra, Akram shared his thoughts, as quoted by Geo TV:
“To be completely honest, I’ll speak my mind. In our culture, we often say, These are our players, let’s not criticize them. But the reality is, these are the top players we have. If there were better options, they would have been picked. People mention ‘parchi’ (favouritism in selection), but at this level, that doesn’t hold up”
Babar Azam, Pakistan’s key batsman, faced criticism for his cautious approach. Chasing a target of 321, Babar took very few risks in the first ten overs and was dismissed for 64 off 90 balls.
In other developments, Mohammad Rizwan and the team have been fined 5% of their match fee for a slow over-rate. Rizwan admitted to the offense, meaning no formal hearing was necessary.
Additionally, Fakhar Zaman, who had been opening the batting, will no longer participate in the tournament due to a lower-back injury. Imam-ul-Haq has been summoned as his replacement.
Meanwhile, India started their campaign with a commanding six-wicket win over Bangladesh in Dubai. Despite the recent setbacks, Rizwan and his team can take confidence from their win against India in the 2017 Champions Trophy final. However, if Pakistan loses to India in their upcoming match, they will fail to qualify for the top four.