Islamabad:After the team's exit from the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, 1992 World Cup-winning captain and former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan said that cricket will be "destroyed" if "favourites" are put in decision-making positions.
Pakistan hosted the ICC tournament after a prolonged gap of 29 years, with Pakistan last co-hosted ICC event (ODI World Cup) with India and Sri Lanka dating back in 1996.
The Mohammad Rizwan-led side has already been eliminated from the group stage of the tournament that too in a matter of just 6 days, leaving the fans and supporters of the team massively disappointed. Pakistan's early exit marked the first time since 2009 that the host nation didn't make it out of the group stages of the Champions Trophy. The Green Brigade also became the fourth team to enter the Champions Trophy as defending champions and exit in the group stages.
Apart from this, Pakistan haven't played at their potential in the previous ICC events - the 2023 ODI World Cup and T20 World Cup, as they failed to reach the knockout stages.
"Imran says cricket will be eventually destroyed when favourites are put in decision-making positions," Aleema Khan, sister of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder, told reporters, as quoted by Geo News.
Imran Khan also questioned about the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman, Mohsin Naqvi and said that whenever he comes to power, he makes a "mess" of it.
"Imran Khan said that no one in Pakistan has as many positions as Mohsin Naqvi has. When Naqvi was appointed [Punjab] Chief Minister, he committed injustices. He is appointed interior minister, he again committed injustices. Whichever position he is appointed, he makes a mess of it," Aleema Khan said as quoted by The Express Tribune. "Imran Khan said that a respectable man would resign after such a poor performance but this could not happen."
Pakistan will lock horns with Bangladesh in their last group-stage match of Champions Trophy 2025 at the National Stadium in Rawalpindi on Thursday, February 27. This match would be a dead rubber as both teams have already been knocked out of the tournament.
