‘India’s DNA is to play finals and win, Pakan’s is to lose before knockouts’: Rashid Latif | Cricket News
3 min readMar 13, 2026 04:59 PM India’s 96-run win over New Zealand in the final of the 2026 T20 World Cup helped them take a third consecutive victory in ICC tournaments. It was their third men’s T20 World Cup title overall, making them the most succesfull team in the hory of the tournament, and their eighth ICC title. They also became the first team to have succesfully defended the title. In contrast, arch rivals Pakan have only won three ICC trophies so far with their last ICC trophy coming in the form of 2017 ICC Champions Trophy. Former Pakan captain and coach Rashid Latif has shared how India’s DNA is to win trophies and Pakan’s DNA is to lose trophies.
“Even after losing the toss (In theT20 World Cup final), they (India) made 250 runs. Nobody will be able to catch them. They have not done this overnight; it is the result of their hard work over the last 10 years or so. See the last ICC events or the Asia Cup. India’s DNA is to win trophies, and our DNA is to lose even before the knockouts. Their DNA is playing the final and winning,” Latif told reporters in Pakan.
Pakan’s maiden ICC trophy was in 1992, when the Imran Khan led them to victory in the World Cup. They won the 2009 T20 World Cup with a win over Sri Lanka in England and then won their third and last ICC trophy in the form of the 2017 Champions Trophy. The last time Pakan reached an ICC tournament final was in the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia, where they lost to England. Post that final loss, Pakan have not been able to reach the semi-finals. In the 2024 T20 World Cup as well 2025 ICC Champion Trophy, Pakan did not reach the knock-out stage. Following Pakan’s exit from the Super 8 in this year’s T20 World Cup, there were reports of Pakan Cricket Board fining the team-members with an amount of PKR 5 million each. Latif also spoke on the issue. “Weaker boards do this. When you sign a contract, it has everything. Fines and rewards are also mentioned,” Latif added.
Former Pakan captain Younis Khan too had criticised the move PCB. “Is it confirmed? If it’s confirmed, then it’s not right. Earlier, an instance like that happened. In 2003, when we returned after the World Cup, Rashid Latif was made the captain, he received a message from the PCB that the match fees will be reduced to half and the same will be done with allowance. 1-2 players had taken a stand against this, “ Khan had told the media earlier this month.
