'Criticism is normal, but parchi doesn't work' - Wasim Akram on Pakistan's poor Champions Trophy start

The thrilling ICC (International Cricket Council) 50-over marquee event Champions Trophy 2025 kicked off on Wednesday, February 19. The opening game saw the hosts taking on New Zealand (NZ). However, Pakistan's (PAK) campaign got off to a poor start as they suffered a 60-run defeat against Black Caps in Karachi.

Notably, this marked their third consecutive loss to the dark horses in a span of two weeks, following the two lousy defeats in the tri-series tournament. The loss disclosed a major blemish in Pakistan’s approach towards batting, which raised concerns ahead of their highly anticipated encounter against India. 

While chasing a rigid target of 321 runs, the Green Shirts never looked in control. Their top order collapsed under pressure, with skipper Mohammad Rizwan making only 3 off 14 balls and Saud Shakeel harrowing for 6 off 19 deliveries. Also, star batter Babar Azam’s 64 off 90 lacked the required intent, while at number 4, Fakhar Zaman, who made a comeback after an injury scare, failed to bring intensity (24 off 41 balls) during his knock. By the time the lower order could give the target a shot, the match had already got out of their reach.

Consequently, the defeat sparked considerably huge criticism from former players and spectators. Nevertheless, Pakistan's former legendary pacer, Wasim Akram came out in support of the squad, clearing allegations of inequity during selection. During a show where Cheteshwar Pujara and Nikhil Chopra were also present, Akram made it amply clear that the current crop of players is the best from the country and no reference works at the top level.

“If you want me to be brutally honest, I can be. In our culture, we say, ‘These are our kids, don’t criticize them.’ But I think these are our best players. If there was someone better, they would have been selected. People talk about ‘parchi’ (selection based on reference), but at this level, parchi doesn’t work," said Akram on the Dressing Room Show on the YouTube platform.

Pakistan's premier pacers were lacklustre in Champions Trophy opener

Meanwhile, speaking of Pakistan's bowling unit, they had a rather forgettable day. Ace pacer Haris Rauf conceded 83 runs in 10 overs. Furthermore, their dependence on part-time spinners backfired as Tom Latham's 118* not out and Will Young's 107 proved too much for the hosts.

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Even the main strike pacer Shaheen Afridi failed to make an impact in the death overs. Moreover, the empty stands in Karachi at the start, added to Pakistan's calamity. The loss not only hollow their journey but also escalates tension ahead of their nerve-wracking battle against India on Sunday, February 23.