India, Feb. 26 -- Pakistan's disappointing exit from the Champions Trophy 2025 has sparked scrutiny over team selection and performances, but interim head coach Aaqib Javed has strongly backed his players. Speaking at a press conference in Rawalpindi, Javed emphasized that the squad was chosen on merit, even though the results did not meet expectations.

"Pakistan picked the best available team, but the performances haven't matched expectations-that is a reality," Javed admitted.

Interestingly, it was reported by Pakistan's Express Tribue that Javed and Pakistan's captain, Mohammad Rizwan, were at loggerheads over the selection decisions. The report stated that Rizwan wanted Khushdil Shah in the squad, but Javed opted for Faheem Ashraf. ...