Pakistan Cricket Faces Harsh Criticism After Asia Cup Loss to India
following Pakistan’s defeat to India in the Asia Cup final on Monday,September 29,2025,a wave of criticism erupted from fans and media within Pakistan,focusing on the team’s performance and captaincy decisions. The loss has sparked widespread introspection and self-assessment of the state of pakistani cricket.
The fallout began almost promptly,with prominent figures voicing their disappointment.Journalist eeb likened the situation to past perceived discrepancies, stating the team “lost the match but stole the trophy,” drawing a parallel to “Operation Sindoor,” alleging a claim of victory despite defeat.
Karachi-based journalist Qamar Raza Iffi, known for his outspoken critiques, expressed frustration on GTV Sports channel, lamenting that Pakistan failed to win even a single match during the tournament. He commented,”At least one of the three matches could have gone our way,but even that didn’t happen. At least one Sunday evening could have gone in favour of Pakistani fans…” Iffi further criticized the players’ demeanor,questioning their composure under pressure.
Former Pakistani woman cricketer Iram Javed highlighted concerns about the team’s leadership, stating that captaincy decisions were “far from bold.” Veteran sports journalist Waheed Khan, speaking on his YouTube channel, echoed this sentiment, attributing the loss to “poor captaincy” and a lack of ruthlessness in the Pakistani players. He also criticized Mohsin Naqvi’s comments regarding the trophy, asking, “what is this, yaar? What kind of image are you presenting?”
The sentiment was reflected in mainstream media, with Dawn newspaper publishing a report titled “The Pakistan cricket team did what it does best in the match against India – let down its fans.” The article acknowledged the enduring hope of fans despite expectations of defeat, noting the team’s tendency to “play with heartstrings and keep you hooked till the last moment.”
While the majority of criticism was self-directed,journalist Mansoor Ali Khan attempted to provoke Indian fans by pointing out the absence of Muslim players on the Indian team,questioning India’s claim of secularism. This statement was widely considered irrelevant, with the article emphasizing that cricket fans prioritize skill and results over religious identity.
The widespread frustration has reignited the often-heard refrain within Pakistan, “India humare baap” (India is our father), reflecting a history of disappointing results against their rivals. The anger directed towards individual players like Haris Rauf and Salman Ali Agha, and also PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi, underscores the deeper issues facing Pakistan cricket, and suggests a prolonged period of reckoning for the team and its supporters.
