Hafeez Criticizes Management for Risking Injured Zaman in Champions Trophy Loss

Former Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez has sharply criticized the team management for risking Fakhar Zaman in the ICC Champions Trophy opener against New Zealand, which led to his injury and exclusion from the tournament. Hafeez believes sending Fakhar in to bat at No. 4 was a significant error, as he was clearly in pain and unable to run properly, adding pressure on captain Babar Azam, who scored 64 but failed to accelerate when needed. Pakistan's captain Mohammad Rizwan acknowledged that New Zealand's strategic batting, particularly the partnership between Will Young and Tom Latham, put them in a strong position, resulting in a target of 321 runs. He emphasized the team's struggles in death bowling and the impact of losing Fakhar early in the innings. Both Rizwan and Hafeez expressed concerns about the lack of intent in the batting approach, with Rizwan claiming that they lost momentum at crucial moments during the match. Looking ahead, Rizwan stated that the team would focus on their next match without being burdened by the pressure of being defending champions.