Pakistan’s campaign in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 ended prematurely after back-to-back defeats, with Australian cricket great Ricky Ponting pinpointing tactical missteps as a major factor behind their early exit.

Pakistan, the defending champions and tournament hosts, were the first team to be eliminated after losing to New Zealand in their opening match and suffering a heavy defeat to India on February 23 in Dubai.

Speaking on The ICC Review, Ponting questioned Pakistan’s strategy, particularly regarding their use of key batters Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan. He suggested that Pakistan failed to maximize their star players, which significantly impacted their performance.

“They haven’t been able to give their best to the team. Those two guys had to step up and score big runs,” Ponting noted. “And they haven’t been able to do it in the first couple of games, which might be the reason why Pakistan didn’t make it to the semi-finals.”

Ponting also commended Indian batsman Virat Kohli for delivering under pressure, emphasizing the importance of key players rising to the occasion in major tournaments.

“I’ve always said big games require big players. You need your stars to rise to the occasion, and there’s no bigger game for India than one against Pakistan,” Ponting said. “Your reputation is built on how you perform in the biggest contests on the international stage. So it’s no surprise to me that Kohli stepped up.”

Pakistan officially became the first team, alongside Bangladesh, to be knocked out of the ongoing tournament, which will continue until March 9.

The Green Shirts, who won the Champions Trophy in 2017 under Sarfaraz Ahmed’s captaincy, struggled to make an impact in their title defense, raising questions about their overall approach and execution on the field.