- विज्ञापन -
Karachi: New Zealand opened their ICC Champions Trophy 2025 campaign with a commanding 60-run victory over defending champions Pakistan at the National Bank Stadium, exposing familiar frailties in Pakistan’s batting lineup.
The result not only extended New Zealand’s dominance over Pakistan in the tournament, with a 4-0 head-to-head record, but also left the hosts facing an uphill battle in a tough Group A, where only two teams will progress to the semi-finals.
Despite losing the toss and being sent in to bat under conditions expected to favor the chasing side, New Zealand showed resilience and tactical acumen. Their top order, led by Will Young (107) and Tom Latham (118*), countered Pakistan’s early swing threat with measured stroke play.
The duo’s authoritative centuries anchored New Zealand’s innings before Glenn Phillips added a late flourish with a blistering 39-ball 61. Their collective effort powered New Zealand to an imposing 320, a total that always seemed out of Pakistan’s reach given their inconsistent batting performances in recent weeks.
Pakistan’s response was sluggish from the outset. With Fakhar Zaman unable to open due to an injury sustained while fielding, Babar Azam and Saud Shakeel had the responsibility to provide a steady start. However, Shakeel perished early, chasing a wide delivery from Will O’Rourke, while Mohammad Rizwan fell soon after, courtesy of a stunning one-handed catch by Phillips at backward point. Pakistan crawled to just 22/2 in 10 overs, marking their lowest powerplay score in ODIs since 2019.
On the other hand, New Zealand’s disciplined bowling, intelligent use of spin, and sharp fielding were hallmarks of their comprehensive victory. Their ability to adjust to the conditions and execute their strategies flawlessly underlined their growing title credentials.
This defeat leaves Pakistan in a precarious position ahead of their high-stakes encounter against arch-rivals India. The defending champions will need to address their batting concerns quickly, particularly their lack of intent and inability to build momentum early in the innings. With Bangladesh also in their group, the road to the semi-finals has become significantly tougher, and any further slip-ups could prove costly.
New Zealand, meanwhile, will look to build on this emphatic start as they face Bangladesh next on February 24 in Rawalpindi. A win there would put them in pole position for a semi-final berth, further underlining their status as serious contenders for the title.
Brief scores: New Zealand 320/6 in 50 overs (Will Young 108, Tom Latham 118 not out, Glenn Phillips 61; Naseem Shah 2/63, Haris Rauf 2/83) beat Pakistan 260 all out in 47.2 overs (Babar Azam 60, Khushdil Shah 69; Will O’Rourke 3/45, Mitchell Santner 3/47, Mitchell Santner 3/63) by 60 runs.
