“Kuchh paise kama liye, baat khatam” - Former Pakistan cricketer reacts to claims of ICC favoring India during 2025 Champions Trophy
Former Pakistan cricketer Mohammad Hafeez reacted to claims of ICC favoring India during the ongoing 2025 Champions Trophy. He stated that while there are many talks of them getting favors, they are a team that earns whatever they get by playing quality cricket.
As the 2025 Champions Trophy is being held in a hydrid model, where Pakistan hosted the tournament with India's matches being played in Dubai and other teams having to travel to play against them, the notion of India being favored by the ICC emerged from several former and current cricketers.
However, Hafeez said that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) agreed on the hybrid model only to earn money. He said that the PCB earned nothing but money from this Champions Trophy.
"If you look at us, we agreed on a hybrid model twice. Hume kuch nahi mila hybrid model se, other than paise. Toh humne wo le liya Kuchh paise kama liye, baat khatam. Hamara that paisa, humne wo le liya. South Africa bhi. (We didn't earn anything apart from some money. We got what we wanted, which is money. South Africa, too)," he said on 'Game On Hai. (via Hindustan Times)
Hafeez added that the team that is playing to win is India and that they are not getting favors from anyone and earning by playing quality cricket.
"Lekin jo jeetne ke liye khel rahi wo hai India ki team. (The team that is playing to win is India) They plan to win ICC trophies. We talk a lot about them recovering favours. They are not getting any favours from anyone. Whatever they earn is because of the quality of cricket they are playing," Hafeez stated.
Pakistan failed to reach the knockouts of the 2025 Champions Trophy
Pakistan, the host nation of the 2025 Champions Trophy (with the hybrid model) failed to qualify for the knockouts and became one of the first teams to be eliminated from the group stages.
They lost the tournament opener against New Zealand in Karachi by 60 runs. Pakistan then played arch-rivals India in Dubai, facing another defeat as the Men in Blue beat them by six wickets.
Their final group game against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi was abandoned without a ball being bowled. As a result, they were not only kocked out of the Champions Trophy but also finished last on the points table in Group A.