Pakistan To Appoint This Former Player As Head Coach After Champions Trophy 2025 Disaster

Pakistan’s performance in the ongoing Champions Trophy 2025 hasn’t been up to the mark as they became the first side to get eliminated from a home ICC event in just six days after their two successive defeats in the first two games of the event against New Zealand and India.

The Green Brigade has struggled against the top-class sides in the competition in all three departments, and their performance is an example of how it becomes so important for a side to continue a balanced side from the start of any short and sharp competition.

Pakistan’s poor show in the Champions Trophy 2025

The Mohammad Rizwan-led side failed to chase down 321 runs in the opening game of the eight-team tournament at the National Stadium in Karachi, as Babar Azam’s 64 runs in 90 balls at a strike rate of 70 wasn’t enough at all in the fixture.

Also Read: Ex-Pakistan Spinner Dares India To Do This After Champions Trophy 2025 Debacle

On the same surface, Salman Ali Agha and Khusdil Shah creamed aggressive and fantastic half-centuries to help them get near to the target. But the Kiwi pacers held their nerve and the line and length to keep on asking the questions to the lower-order batters.

The second encounter of the side was a do-or-die clash against India in Dubai. Pakistan made a decent start in the game with a solid opening partnership of 41 runs, but the century stand between Rizwan and Saud Shakeel for the third wicket didn’t allow the batters in the middle order to put pressure on the Indian side.

The spinners put so much pressure on the batters as they could manage just 241 runs in the first innings. Virat Kohli displayed the same way forward for the chase as he remained unbeaten on 100 runs in 111 deliveries thanks to eight boundaries to carry them over the line with six wickets in hand.

Rawalpindi’s foul weather didn’t allow them to participate in the final group-stage clash against Bangladesh.

Saqlain Mushtaq is the front-runner to replace Aaqib Javed as Pakistan’s head coach

The reports have claimed that the former off-spinner of the side, Saqlain Mushtaq, can replace Aaqib Javed as the new head coach of the Green Brigade. Mushtaq can get his appointment for the Blackcaps series, as the reports also expressed that the off-spinner hasn’t yet accepted the offer to coach after meeting with the PCB chairman.

“Saqlain Mushtaq is the favorite candidate for the position of head coach of the Pakistan cricket team. Saqlain Mushtaq is likely to be appointed as the coach for the New Zealand series. A meeting between Saqlain Mushtaq and the PCB Chairman concluded a short while ago. Saqlain Mushtaq has accepted the offer to coach the Pakistan team.” Qadir Khawaja wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter).

Also Read: Rishabh Pant Makes A Shocking Entry In India's Playing 11 In Champions Trophy 2025

Questions have been raised over Rizwan’s position as the leader, as he could lose the captaincy after such a poor show in the global event.

Saqlain Mushtaq to use previous experience of coaching with Pakistan

After Misbah Ul Haq’s departure in 2021, Mushtaq took over as the head of the men’s side and held the position for two years till 2023. Later, Mickey Arthur replaced him when Najam Sethi became the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

Aaqib Javed was the interim head coach of the side after Jason Gillespie resigned. The latter stepped down from the rank as Javed got a promotion. The board will now hope to be consistent in the coaching department for the development of the side in future events.