Image: Imam-ul-Haq talks about Mohammad Rizwan's religious influence / © The Cricket Monthly
In the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, Pakistan faced a disappointing early exit after losing their group-stage matches against New Zealand and India. Their campaign began with a 60-run defeat to New Zealand, followed by a six-wicket loss to arch-rivals India in Dubai. With New Zealand securing a five-wicket victory over Bangladesh, Pakistan’s slim hopes of making the semi-finals were officially crushed.
Pakistan’s leadership struggles have come under scrutiny, with opener Imam-ul-Haq revealing dressing room tensions on the Ultra Edge podcast. He mentioned that the team lacks a clear leader, stating:
Who shall I name as a leader? Sare ladh rahe hai aapas mein (Everyone’s fighting among themselves). For now, I can say Rizzi (Rizwan). He arranges rooms in hotels, gathers everyone for Namaz, spreads white sheets [for prayers], restricts non-Muslims from entering. He also makes WhatsApp groups for Namaz timings.
Imam also disclosed that captain Mohammad Rizwan leads religious activities, arranging group prayers and restricting non-Muslims from entering designated areas.
As the defending champions, Pakistan had high expectations but suffered six consecutive ODI defeats against India, including their latest loss in the Champions Trophy. With Rizwan’s leadership being questioned and reports of disagreements with coach Mohammad Javed over squad selection, Pakistan’s management may see major changes. Their final group-stage match against Bangladesh on February 27 in Rawalpindi presents an opportunity to salvage some pride, but their overall performance in the tournament has left fans and analysts deeply concerned.