There is a painful joke going around the internet that Pakistan waited to host an ICC event for three decades, only to become the first team to get knocked out within five days.
Well, the Champions Trophy is one of the shortest tournaments in cricket and even if Pakistan had lost in, say the semi-finals, their campaign would have ended in 15 days. But that is beside the point.
Being tournament hosts should have provided them additional fillip, but it looks like only Pakistan's supporters and those who helped in the reconstruction of their three venues had done their job for the Champions Trophy.
After New Zealand eased past Bangladesh in Rawalpindi on Monday, Pakistan were officially out of the race for the semi-finals of the Champions Trophy. In reality, they had lost it in the first game of the tournament itself.
There, Pakistan's batsmen refused to move out of third gear while chasing a target of 321. Babar Azam scored 64 from 90 balls, with a staggering 52 dot balls.
The lower order did give it a go, but they could only reduce the margin of defeat to 60 runs. The mentality of the top order had been laid bare.
They carried the same thought process in the match against India. Opener Imam-ul-Haq made 10 from 26 and got run out looking for a desperate run.
Captain Mohammad Rizwan took 77 balls for his 46 runs and even though he had a century stand with Saud Shakeel, too many balls had been consumed by the time Rizwan was out in the 34th over.
The target of 242 was woefully short, India reaching home with more than seven overs to spare. Two really bad games and their tournament was over.
Timid approach
Pakistan great Shahid Afridi could not believe how cautiously Pakistan's batsmen were playing in an era where 350 is being chased down regularly and easily.
“In 2025 Pakistan was playing the cricket style of the 1980s and 1990s while other teams had progressed well to adopt an aggressive and modern style,” the former captain said.
“Too many dot balls also hurt our game.”
Afridi scored more than 8,000 runs in nearly 400 ODIs at a strike rate of nearly 120. And he played in the 1990s. He must have been squirming in his seat watching this lot bat.
The lack of intent was so sizeable, it could be seen from space. Against India, Pakistan hit their first maximum after 40 overs, while India hit theirs in the second.
In all, Pakistan played 152 dot balls against India while scoring 241 in 49.4 overs. Against New Zealand, they were even worse, with 162 dot balls in a score of 260 in 47.2 overs. That, in a nutshell, is where Pakistan cricket sadly stands.
After injuries to Saim Ayub and then Fakhar Zaman, Pakistan lost two truly aggressive top-order batters. But that can't be used as an excuse for the criminally slow batting in home conditions by players who have been around for a decade.
Some experts believe Pakistan's Champions Trophy campaign was a disaster waiting to happen. They picked just one front-line spinner in Abrar Ahmed and had no backup options for openers.
That issue flared up when Zaman got injured and out-of-favour Imam had to be brought in for the make-or-break India match.
Also, apart from Abrar, no other Pakistan bowler caused any difficulty for India's batsmen, with the hosts relying on part-time spin of Salman Agha and Khushdil Shah.
India played that match with three specialist Test spinners in Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel.
Way forward
Pakistan have now been knocked out in the opening round of their last three ICC tournaments. That is a damning indictment of their white-ball cricket.
They made wholesale changes to their entire cricket structure multiple times, changed coaches and chairmen whenever they felt like, and still went back to the same set of players who have failed them at major events.
This time, the senior group won't have a lot to complain if they are collectively shown the door. Coach Aaqib Javed is also said to be on the chopping block. But squad and personnel changes are not going to matter if the mentality remains the same.
It is painfully obvious that Pakistan is failing to meet the demands of modern white-ball cricket, which puts particular emphasis on fearless batting and innovative bowling. Aggressive batting, especially, is a non negotiable, even at the risk of being bowled out for 150.
In a way, it is good that the team in green have hit rock bottom. At least now, fans won't be disheartened if the team starts from scratch and builds a new group around modern ideas. Because that team will be worth watching.
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The Details
Article 15
Produced by: Carnival Cinemas, Zee Studios
Directed by: Anubhav Sinha
Starring: Ayushmann Khurrana, Kumud Mishra, Manoj Pahwa, Sayani Gupta, Zeeshan Ayyub
Our rating: 4/5
Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
The 10 Questions
- Is there a God?
- How did it all begin?
- What is inside a black hole?
- Can we predict the future?
- Is time travel possible?
- Will we survive on Earth?
- Is there other intelligent life in the universe?
- Should we colonise space?
- Will artificial intelligence outsmart us?
- How do we shape the future?
UAE squad v Australia
Rohan Mustafa (C), Ashfaq Ahmed, Chirag Suri, Rameez Shahzad, Fahad Nawaz, Amjed Gul, Shaiman Anwar, Ahmed Raza, Imran Haider, Muhammad Naveed, Amir Hayat, Ghulam Shabir (WK), Qadeer Ahmed, Tahir Latif, Zahoor Khan
The Vile
Starring: Bdoor Mohammad, Jasem Alkharraz, Iman Tarik, Sarah Taibah
Director: Majid Al Ansari
Rating: 4/5
The%20specs
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More from Neighbourhood Watch:
The distance learning plan
Spring break will be from March 8 - 19
Public school pupils will undergo distance learning from March 22 - April 2. School hours will be 8.30am to 1.30pm
Staff will be trained in distance learning programmes from March 15 - 19
Teaching hours will be 8am to 2pm during distance learning
Pupils will return to school for normal lessons from April 5
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
SCHEDULE
December 8: UAE v USA (Sharjah Cricket Stadium)
December 9: USA v Scotland (Sharjah Cricket Stadium)
December 11: UAE v Scotland (Sharjah Cricket Stadium)
December 12: UAE v USA (ICC Academy Oval 1)
December 14: USA v Scotland (ICC Academy Oval 1)
December 15: UAE v Scotland (ICC Academy Oval 1)
All matches start at 10am
DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin
Director: Shawn Levy
Rating: 3/5
