Amidst massive criticisms regarding the team selection, the interim head coach finally broke silence and defended the selection, claiming that the bests have been included. Speaking about Pakistan, the country received the hosting rights of an ICC tournament after 29 years. And within 5 days of the tournament, they are already knocked out. A frustrating Champions Trophy performance had brought lots of ideas behind failure, few logical, and obviously few illogical. Among the logical ones, the squad faced the primary criticisms. With mounting criticism, Pakistan’s interim head coach, Aaqib Javed, addressed concerns in a pre-match press conference ahead of their final league game against Bangladesh on February 27. He acknowledged the team’s underwhelming performances but insisted that they had selected the best available players. Javed said, “Pakistan picked the best available team, but the performances haven’t matched expectations—that is a reality" He also dismissed reports of disagreements with captain Mohammad Rizwan regarding team selection. Speculation suggested Rizwan favored Khushdil Shah’s inclusion, while Javed preferred Faheem Ashraf. Eventually, Khushdil made the squad, raising questions about internal discussions. Read also: MS Dhoni’s Final IPL? Retirement on the Cards After 2025 IPL Season Addressing Key Issues and Pakistan’s Struggles Despite rumors, Javed emphasized that every player was selected based on performance. He also responded to concerns about Pakistan's reliance on Babar Azam, posing a direct counter-question to critics. Javed questioned, "Right now, apart from Babar Azam, what other options do we have?" Pakistan’s campaign suffered heavy blows, including a six-wicket defeat to India after an earlier loss to New Zealand. Javed admitted that the team’s total against India was not enough to challenge their opponents. He further pointed to the absence of key players as a reason for Pakistan’s struggles, highlighting how missing experienced players hurt their chances in crucial matches. He added, “The absence of Saim Ayub and Fakhar Zaman was felt. Sufiyan Muqeem and Irfan Niazi lacked ODI exposure.” Despite the disappointment, Javed assured fans that the team remains committed to finishing the tournament on a positive note. He urged supporters to trust the players' efforts