India’s latest win came courtesy of a masterclass from Virat Kohli, whose unbeaten 100* guided them to a comfortable chase of 242 in the Champions Trophy.
For Pakistan, the defeat was yet another setback in their own tournament, leaving them winless after two matches. The team’s uninspired performance—marked by sluggish batting, toothless bowling, and lackluster fielding—highlighted deeper issues within Pakistan’s cricketing setup.
Pace legend Shoaib Akhtar didn’t pull any punches as he blasted Pakistan’s “brainless, and clueless” team management following the six-wicket loss to India in the Champions Trophy, saying the side entered the tournament without any “clear direction”.
The former quick blamed the management for selecting a side that lacked the necessary skills and understanding to compete at the highest level.
Former Pakistan captain and popular all-rounder Shahid Afridi accused Pakistan of playing outdated cricket.
“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,” he told AFP.
“The ailment of playing too many dot balls also hurt our game.” Pakistan played 152 dot balls against India in scoring 241 in 49.4 overs, including a record 28 balls with no scores in the first six overs.
Their total of 260 in 47.2 overs in the defeat to New Zealand had 162 dot balls.
“The mindset of Pakistan players does not match with modern-day cricket,” said Afridi.
“We need a complete overhaul of the system so that we can produce players with an aggressive mindset. “
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) faces increasing scrutiny, with critics blaming mismanagement for the team’s decline. Despite years of poor results and outdated strategies, little has changed, raising questions about Pakistan’s ability to compete at the highest level.
With India thriving and Pakistan struggling, the gap between the two sides appears wider than ever, casting a shadow over what was once cricket’s greatest rivalry.
Their recent ODI record against India tells a grim story:
India won by 8 wickets (Sept 2018)
India won by 9 wickets (Sept 2018)
India won by 89 runs (Jun 2019)
India won by 228 runs (Sept 2023)
India won by 7 wickets (Oct 2023)
India won by 6 wickets (Feb 2025)
As things stand, the Indo-Pak rivalry is being sustained more by political narratives than by cricketing competition. Until Pakistan reforms its cricketing structure, these encounters will remain a clash in name only, with India continuing to assert its dominance.
This is no rivalry as far as pure cricketing merits are concerned.
