Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar expressed disappointment over the national team's performance in their Champions Trophy 2025 opener against New Zealand on Wednesday at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Akhtar criticised Pakistan's approach, stating that their style of play differs significantly from the modern brand of cricket adopted by other top teams.
"You all saw the match, and I'm sure you're as disappointed as I am. Pakistan is playing a completely different brand of cricket compared to the rest of the world. There are no impact players, the strike rate is too slow, and they don't even rotate the strike effectively," said Akhtar.
"We concede too many runs and are playing with just four bowlers, whereas other teams field at least six to seven bowling options. It's a disappointing start," he added.
The "Rawalpindi Express" also highlighted the importance of Pakistan's upcoming clash against India, labeling it as a do-or-die situation.
"Pakistan now faces a must-win match against India. The Indian team is very strong, and the challenge looks tough. However, I still wish Pakistan the best of luck. They need to go on the offensive and play aggressive cricketjust not like this. It looks very difficult now, but I still hope for the best," he said.
Meanwhile, in the tournament opener, defending champions Pakistan suffered a 60-run defeat against New Zealand.
Chasing a challenging target of 321, the Men in Green were bowled out for 260 runs. Khushdil Shah top-scored with a brisk 69 off 49 balls, while Babar Azam contributed 64 off 90 deliveries.
For New Zealand, Will Young and Tom Latham scored centuries, while Glenn Phillips provided a late surge with a quickfire 61 off 39 balls.
Pakistan will now take on arch-rivals India in their next fixturea must-win encounter to keep their title defense hopes alive.
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