The PCB had spent a fortune to renovate the three Pakistani venues for the ICC Champions Trophy, and the board as well as fans would have got their money’s worth had the Mohammad Rizwan-led home team reached the knockout stage at the very least.

Champions Trophy fever in Pakistan has plummeted after the hosts crashed out of the first major cricket event in the country in three decades without winning a game. Pakistan's failure to advance beyond the group phase or even win a game was a huge letdown in a country that has been gradually returning to hosting international teams after years of militancy saw it marked as a no-go zone.

New Zealand, which beat Pakistan by 60 runs in the opening match, sealed its playoff spot with a five-wicket win over Bangladesh last Monday at Rawalpindi, which was awarded three Champions Trophy matches. India beat Bangladesh and Pakistan in Dubai to qualify for the semifinal.