"Hello, did you win every match you played in?" - Indian legend takes a dig at former Pakistan players after team's 2025 Champions Trophy exit

Indian legend Sunil Gavaskar urged former Pakistan players to rally behind their side instead of constantly criticizing them after the Men in Green suffered an unceremonious exit in the ongoing 2025 Champions Trophy. Pakistan lost their opening two games against New Zealand and India to suffer another pre-semifinal exit from an ICC event.

It was their third consecutive first-round elimination in an ICC tournament after the dismal runs in the 2023 ODI and 2024 T20 World Cups. With their final outing against Bangladesh getting washed out due to rain, Pakistan finished at the bottom of Group A.

Their poor campaign in a home ICC tournament led to several former players heavily criticizing them.

Talking to India Today about Pakistan's no-show, Gavaskar said (quoted by Cric Tracker):

"Not every time a batter goes, he scores a hundred. Not every time a bowler bowls, he gets five. So, if that's support, I think that support is essential for the current Pakistan team. Sometimes, when you know, when snippets are sent with some other former Pakistani cricketers having a go at the current team, you look at them and ask 'Hello, did you win every match that you played in for Pakistan? You didn't."

He added:

"So, even this team is struggling a little bit. So, lift them up instead of criticizing. By all means, if there is some petty, ordinary cricket, and if it's your job to talk about it, talk about it. But after that, come back and support the team."

Pakistan came into the tournament as the defending Champions Trophy winners, having emerged victorious in the 2017 edition. The side, however, has now lost four out of their last five completed ODIs, despite playing at home and in Dubai (India clash).

"You will lose even to some ordinary teams" - Sunil Gavaskar

Sunil Gavaskar doubled down on his remarks about former players needing to support the current Pakistan side even in trying times instead of throwing shades at them.

The Men in Green did not help themselves by losing a sixth consecutive ODI game against arch-rivals India in a must-win encounter.

"Well, I have to be honest, I don't really have much idea what happens in Pakistan. But what I've seen every time Pakistan doesn't do well is the barrage of criticism that comes from those who should instead support them. I can understand the the the common fan who gets disappointed, but those who have played the game before and those who know that, you know, winning is not, always possible. There will be losses. You will lose even to some ordinary teams," said Gavaskar.

In addition to their white-ball struggles, Pakistan also finished at the bottom of the 2023-25 World Test Championship (WTC) table.