Pakistan cricket team arrived from Dubai to Islamabad after a stinging ICC Champions Trophy 2025 loss against India.
Initially, their flight landed in Lahore, where a few others departed together with PCB Chairman Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi and board officials.
The plane next left Islamabad is where the remainder of the team left, this time headed toward the city.
Throughout the trip, an odd quietness hung around and the athletes avoided speaking to one another.
Their expressions seemed downcast and their heads were down following their onesided defeat to India on Sunday at Dubai.
Before, PCB Chairman Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi had flown on a special flight from Karachi to accompany the team in a joyful and animated environment in Dubai.
But on the way back a spooky silence overtook the former buoyancy.
The chairman had driven the players for supper in Dubai and even gone to the stadium the night ahead of the India match to lift their spirits.
Still, things appeared to have turned after the loss.
The players’ brightness had vanished and their excitement had ebbed.
Pakistan was eliminated from the competition after consecutive losses to India.
Though they were the tournament hosts and defending champions, their path came to an abrupt stop.
Still, Pakistan cricket team has one last group stage match against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi on February 27.
Group A has also seen India and New Zealand advance to the semifinals.
