Pakistan team returns home 'in silence' after India loss, Champions Trophy exit

The Pakistan cricket team discreetly returned home from Dubai to Islamabad following their crushing defeat against India in the ICC Champions Trophy.

The team’s journey home began with a stop in Lahore, where Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi, along with other board officials, got off. The flight then continued to Islamabad, carrying the rest of the squad.

According to reports, unlike the lively atmosphere on their way to Dubai—filled with laughter and conversations—this return trip was marked by an unusual silence. Players barely spoke to each other, their faces reflecting disappointment. Heads were down, and the energy that once surrounded the squad was missing.

Before the India match, Chairman Naqvi had travelled with the team on a special flight from Karachi to Dubai, where he hosted a dinner for the players and even visited the stadium to boost their morale. However, after Pakistan’s crushing loss to their arch-rivals, the mood had completely changed.

With back-to-back defeats against New Zealand and India, Pakistan—both the host and defending champion—has been eliminated from the tournament.

However, they still have one last group-stage match remaining against Bangladesh on February 27 in Rawalpindi.

Meanwhile, India and New Zealand have secured their spots in the semi-finals from Group A.