Former PCB chairman Ramiz Raja questioned why Pakistan opened their ICC Champions Trophy 2025 campaign against New Zealand instead of Bangladesh after India outclassed the Mohammad Rizwan-led side in a marquee clash in Dubai.

The Men in Green suffered a six-wicket thrashing at the hands of the arch-rivals on Sunday (February 23), which led to Ramiz questioning the team’s strategy.

"I wonder why Pakistan played their first match against New Zealand. They should have played their first match against Bangladesh. Even though Bangladesh is a strong side, it was still comparatively an easy match for them," Ramiz said on his YouTube channel.

According to Ramiz, playing Bangladesh first would have put equal pressure on each team in Group A. Pakistan's defeat to New Zealand put pressure on the team, which was aggravated by their loss to India.

After Pakistan succumbed to a crushing 60-run defeat against New Zealand, the significance of their high-voltage clash against India reached new levels.

Victory was the only way for Pakistan to keep their semi-final hopes alive. However, the designated tournament hosts were humbled by India.

"They played against them in the opener and lost. The defeat created pressure on Pakistan. I don't understand why Pakistan didn't play their first match against Bangladesh or India. If that happened, the pressure would be equal," Ramiz remarked.

Virat Kohli played a key role with the bat in India’s win over Pakistan. The star batter slammed an unbeaten hundred (100 off 111) as the Men in Blue chased down the target of 242 with 45 deliveries to spare.

"Virat's knock had everything. There was calmness and attack. He maintained the pace well. Overall, Virat Kohli was a complete package. He keeps on challenging himself. He played confidently against every bowler and didn't allow anyone to settle," Ramiz stated.

On Monday (February 24), Pakistan were officially knocked out of the semi-final race after New Zealand defeated Bangladesh by five wickets in Rawalpindi. India and New Zealand are the two teams to qualify for the semis from Group A.