IND vs PAK Champions Trophy 2025: Can Pakistan Qualify for Semi Final After Humiliating Loss to India

Pakistan’s campaign in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 has taken a severe hit after suffering their second consecutive defeat, this time against India. The Men in Green lost by six wickets at the Dubai International Stadium, leaving their chances of qualifying for the semi-finals hanging by a thread.

In their opening match, Pakistan faced a 60-run defeat against New Zealand, putting them under immense pressure going into the crucial clash with India. Chasing a target of 242, Indian batting maestro Virat Kohli scored a stunning century to guide India to their second consecutive victory in the tournament.

What Pakistan Needs to Qualify for the Semi-Finals

Although Pakistan is not officially out of the tournament, their chances of reaching the semi-finals are slim. To keep their hopes alive, Pakistan must secure a dominant win against Bangladesh in their final group-stage match. However, their fate is also dependent on the results of other matches.

For Pakistan to qualify, India and Bangladesh must defeat New Zealand, ensuring all three teams—Pakistan, New Zealand, and Bangladesh—are tied on points. In this scenario, the team with the best net run rate will advance alongside India. However, Pakistan’s current net run rate is significantly poor, meaning they would require a massive victory over Bangladesh while hoping New Zealand suffers heavy defeats in their remaining matches.

While mathematically possible, Pakistan’s path to the semi-finals looks highly improbable unless a miraculous turn of events unfolds in their favor.

Pakistan’s Poor Performance Sparks Criticism

Pakistan’s underwhelming performances have largely been due to their struggling batting lineup, which has failed to capitalize on good batting surfaces. Moreover, their renowned pace attack—featuring Naseem Shah, Shaheen Afridi, and Haris Rauf—has failed to deliver, allowing opponents to dominate both games.

With two heavy defeats, the team is likely to face strong criticism back home, as fans and analysts question their lackluster display in the tournament. Pakistan now heads into their final group-stage match against Bangladesh with only a faint glimmer of hope and an uphill battle to stay alive in the Champions Trophy 2025.