Former Australian captain believes Pakistan faces an uphill battle following their defeat to New Zealand and Fakhar’s injury setback
New Delhi, February 23: Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting has raised concerns over Pakistan’s chances in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 after their 60-run defeat to New Zealand in the opening match. Adding to their troubles, star opener Fakhar Zaman has been ruled out for the remainder of the tournament due to an injury, further denting their campaign.
Ponting shared his thoughts on Pakistan’s struggles during the latest episode of The ICC Review with host Sanjana Ganesan. He acknowledged that the defending champions now face an uphill task, especially with a crucial clash against India coming up on Sunday.
“Tough Road Ahead for Pakistan” – Ponting
“It is going to be hard for Pakistan now,” Ponting stated, as quoted by ICC. “We spoke only a few days ago, and my prediction was that Pakistan would beat New Zealand and probably quite comfortably. Fakhar’s injury did not help their cause, but they were also chasing a massive total of 320 runs, which was always going to be a challenge.”
Pakistan’s start to the tournament has been far from ideal, with their bowlers struggling to contain New Zealand’s aggressive batting, and their chase falling short. Ponting noted that losing a player of Fakhar’s caliber at such a critical stage makes their situation even more difficult.
India Clash Looms Large for Pakistan
With a high-stakes encounter against arch-rivals India next, Pakistan has little time to recover. Ponting emphasized the unpredictable nature of the team but believes they will need to be at their absolute best to challenge India.
“With Pakistan, we say it every tournament—they are unpredictable. You never quite know what they are going to do. On their day, they can beat anyone,” he remarked.
“But now, having lost to New Zealand, they are going to have to be at their absolute best against India. India has had a great start, while Pakistan has had a rough one. And with Fakhar’s injury, it will be even harder for them to bounce back.”
Fakhar’s Absence a Major Blow
Ponting expressed sympathy for Fakhar, who sustained his injury while fielding against New Zealand and was visibly frustrated after getting dismissed in that match. Pakistan confirmed on Thursday that Imam-ul-Haq would replace Fakhar in the squad.
“When something like that happens, you need to let the player process it first. Fakhar has been in great form, scoring consistently, and his absence will be deeply felt in the team,” Ponting said.
“The best thing the team can do is discuss the loss and put it behind them. Once they wake up the next day, they must regroup and find someone who can step up and perform for Pakistan,” he added.
Can Pakistan Bounce Back?
With their title defense hanging in the balance, Pakistan will have to dig deep to find momentum against an in-form Indian team. The loss to New Zealand, combined with Fakhar’s injury, presents a formidable challenge, but as history has shown, Pakistan has the ability to spring surprises when least expected.
Their performance against India on Sunday will be crucial in determining whether they can recover from this setback or if their title defense will come to an early halt.