Even MS Dhoni couldn’t have done anything with Rizwan’s team: Ex Pakistan captain Sana Mir

The hosts and defending champions Pakistan has lost to India and New Zealand in consecutive games, eliminating them from the Champions Trophy 2025. Legends like Younis Khan and MS Dhoni couldn’t have prevented the men’s team from losing the championship at home, according to former Pakistan women’s captain Sana Mir, amid all the criticism directed at the Men in Green.

After losing both games, Mohammad Rizwan’s team is at the bottom of the standings with a net run rate of -1.087. On Monday, February 24, New Zealand defeated Bangladesh by five wickets, eliminating them. Before selecting the roster, Pakistan had to consider the potential playing conditions, according to Mir, who captained the national team in 65 Twenty20 Internationals and 72 One-Day Internationals between 2009 and 2017.

“The 15 that have been selected, even if you make MS Dhoni or Younis Khan captain,

nobody can do anything to the team because it has not been selected on the basis of the playing conditions,” Mir stated on the ‘Game On Hai’ programme.

When we revealed the 15-person lineup, we had already lost half the tournament: Sana Mir

Sana Mir also noted that when they revealed their team, Pakistan’s hopes of winning the Champions Trophy again were severely damaged. Mir was upset because the Green Shirts only had one specialist spinner, Abrar Ahmed, against India.

“I was watching the game when a friend texted me, saying, ‘I guess it’s over.’ India is 100 for 2. Therefore, when the squad was revealed, I said the game was done,” the former captain of the Pakistan women’s team continued.

“I’ve been saying this since day one: when we unveiled the 15-member roster, we lost half the tournament. “How did you bring two part-time spinners when they knew that Pakistan had to play at least one match in Dubai?” Mir said.