former Pakistan captain Asif Iqbal said, "There’s nothing wrong with Pakistan cricket" and wondered, "Why is no one talking about what's wrong with English cricket?". While many former Pakistan players, now TV experts, and fans are criticizing Pakistan's cricket team, one person isn’t being too harsh on Mohammad Rizwan & his team.

Just like Pakistan, England was also knocked out of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 after losing their first two matches against Australia and Afghanistan in Lahore stadium. "There’s nothing wrong with Pakistan cricket. The other teams simply played better. Whether we batted first or chased, we lost because our opponents outperformed us. But why is no one talking about what’s wrong with English cricket? They couldn’t defend 351 when batting first, and they failed to chase 326 when batting second. I see things differently," Asif Iqbal said.

Reflecting on Pakistan’s loss to India in ICC Champions Trophy, the 82-year-old former captain, who played 58 Tests and 10 ODIs between 1964 and 1980, summed it up in one line: "We were outplayed in every department except the toss!". Asif Iqbal feels the hype around India and Pakistan matches comes from fans having high expectations. "Fans believe their team is better, but the truth is, India is at the top of the rankings, and we are at the bottom," he said.

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Asif Iqbal said "Indian and Pakistani fans make an Indo-Pak match feel like a clash of the titans. But in reality, a real clash happens when, for example, in tennis, the No. 1 player faces the No. 3 or No. 4 player. If Novak Djokovic plays someone ranked 100th and loses, it’s called a ‘shock.’ The same goes for cricket if Pakistan beats India or any top team in an ICC event, it usually means the other team had a bad day. I’m not insulting Pakistan, just stating facts. We recently lost to a second-string South Africa and New Zealand at home, so losing to India and New Zealand in the 2025 Champions Trophy wasn’t surprising. These are the players we have, and instead of constantly criticizing them on TV, it’s better to support them. Criticism alone won’t help."  

Iqbal also shared his disappointment over India not playing in Pakistan for the 2025 Champions Trophy. "The saddest part is that India isn’t coming to Pakistan for an ICC tournament,". Asif Iqbal wished Afghanistan for their great performance in ICC tournaments. "Before the tournament started, I said I expected Afghanistan to beat at least one top team in their group, and they did just that by defeating England. They are developing into a really good team and are now among the best in world cricket," he said.