KARACHI – New Zealand on Wednesday emerged victorious by 60 runs in their opening match against Pakistan in the highly anticipated #CT2025 tournament. Black Caps, showcasing exceptional skill and determination both with the bat and the ball, set a strong foundation for their journey in the competition.
Batting first, New Zealand posted a competitive total of 320/5, led by a robust middle-order performance.
After being put into bat, New Zealand got off to a shaky start. Mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed made an early breakthrough, dismissing Devon Conway for just 10 runs in the third ball of the eighth over. Pakistan’s pacers, Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf, further intensified the pressure, removing Kane Williamson (1) and Daryl Mitchell (10), leaving New Zealand at 73/3 in the 16th over.
Will Young (107) and player of the match Tom Latham (118) displayed A-game, scoring centuries. Glenn Phillips also played a fiery knock of 61 off 39 balls to guide New Zealand to set a challenging 321-run target for the defending champions.
Pakistan, in response, struggled to maintain momentum throughout the innings despite a few strong individual efforts. The Kiwi bowlers put on an impressive display, using variations in pace and spin to stifle Pakistan’s chase.
Khushdil Shah (69), Babar Azam (64) and Salman Agha (42) offered some resistance, but the Green Shirts fell well short of the victory target.
The eight-team tournament is underway across three venues in Pakistan – Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi – as well as in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Pakistan is hosting an ICC event for the first time since the ICC Cricket World Cup 1996, which concluded with the final at the Gaddafi Stadium, where Sri Lanka defeated Australia by seven wickets.
In the lead-up to the ICC Champions Trophy, the three venues in Pakistan – Gaddafi Stadium Lahore, National Stadium Karachi and Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium – have undergone major upgrades, offering players and spectators world-class facilities.
Champions Trophy Group Details
The eight participating teams have been divided into two groups, with hosts Pakistan, Bangladesh, India and New Zealand pooled in Group A, while Group B comprises Afghanistan, current ODI World Cup champions Australia, England and South Africa.
Pakistan Group Stage Matches Schedule
Following their opening encounter against New Zealand, Pakistan will play their next two group matches on 23 February against India in Dubai and on 27 February against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi.
In the group stage, three matches apiece will be played in Dubai, Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi.
Apart from winning this tournament in 2017, Pakistan has also reached the semi-finals of this competition on three occasions: 2000, 2004 and 2009.
Squads
Pakistan: Mohammad Rizwan (captain & wicket-keeper), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Kamran Ghulam, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah, Salman Ali Agha (vice-captain), Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Tayyab Tahir and Usman Khan.
New Zealand: Mitchell Santner (c), Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Kyle Jamieson, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Will O’Rourke, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Jacob Duffy, Nathan Smith, Kane Williamson, Will Young.
Champions Trophy 2025, PAK v NZ: How to watch today match live
