RAWALPINDI: Pakistan’s disappointing ICC Champions Trophy campaign ended in anti-climactic fashion as their final group match against Bangladesh was abandoned without a ball being bowled due to persistent rain in Rawalpindi on Thursday.
The washout ensured that Pakistan, the defending champions, finished at the bottom of Group A, having lost both of their previous matches to New Zealand and arch-rivals India.
Bangladesh also exited the tournament without a win but secured third place in the group based on a superior net run rate.
Pakistan’s first major international cricket tournament on home soil in three decades ended in disappointment, as the team failed to win a single game.
Skipper Mohammad Rizwan acknowledged the team’s underwhelming performance.
“The expectations were very high, but we didn’t perform well, and it is disappointing for us,” Rizwan said.
“We are upset and accept that we didn’t do well. Hopefully, we will work harder and come back stronger.”
Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto also expressed his frustration at not getting the chance to finish their campaign on a winning note.
“We really wanted to play this match but can’t do anything about the weather,” Shanto said.
Overnight rain in Rawalpindi continued throughout the day, preventing any possibility of play.
Despite multiple inspections by the umpires, the match was called off at 3:27 pm local time, just under an hour and a half after the scheduled start.
Pakistan finished the tournament with just one point and a net run rate of -1.087, while Bangladesh also secured one point but edged ahead with a net run rate of -0.443.
This was the second match in the tournament to be abandoned due to rain, following the Australia-South Africa fixture from Group B earlier in the week.
The Rawalpindi venue had previously hosted New Zealand’s five-wicket win over Bangladesh on 24 February.
With this result, India and New Zealand progressed to the semi-finals from Group A.
Group B’s remaining fixtures will determine the other two semi-finalists, with South Africa, Australia, and Afghanistan still in contention, while England are already eliminated.
Pakistan will now turn their focus to a white-ball tour of New Zealand later this month, comprising five T20Is and three ODIs. Bangladesh, meanwhile, are set to host Zimbabwe for three ODIs and three T20Is.
Pakistan will take on Bangladesh in their last encounter of group stage on Thursday at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium where toss has been delayed because of intermittent rain.
It has not been a tournament to remember for either Pakistan or Bangladesh, and the team talks ahead of their last game, against each other in Rawalpindi, are likely to be similar: play for pride, etc. With some chatter about the poor weather – if it continues, as the forecast says, the long faces in the two dressing rooms will get longer.
Toss has been delayed and there is no further activity going on in the middle.
Rain has delayed the toss ahead of the #PAKvBAN clash in Rawalpindi 🌧️#ChampionsTrophy
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— ICC (@ICC) February 27, 2025
With washout both teams will get a one point each to get 3rd and 4th position in the group b points table. However, both sides are already packed themselves with New Zealand and India topping the group B to play semi finals.
