Karachi: In the opening match of the Champions Trophy, defending champions and tournament hosts Pakistan suffered a 60-run defeat against New Zealand. The match played at Karachi’s National Bank Stadium, saw New Zealand setting a target of 321 runs for Pakistan, who were bowled out for 260.
Chasing the big target, Pakistan struggled from the outset, with batsmen scoring at a slow pace. In the absence of Fakhar Zaman, Saud Shakeel opened the innings alongside Babar Azam. However, Saud was dismissed for just 6 runs off 19 balls at a total of 8. Pakistan lost their second wicket when captain Mohammad Rizwan departed after scoring only 3 runs off 14 balls.
Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman attempted to stabilize the innings, but Fakhar, dealing with injury concerns, was bowled by Bracewell for 24 runs at a total of 69. Salman Ali Agha and Babar Azam took Pakistan to 127 before Salman was caught out while attempting a six after a quick 42-run knockoff of 28 balls.
New Zealand soon took their fifth wicket as Tayyab Tahir was dismissed for just 1 run at 128. Babar Azam, the only batsman showing some resistance, was caught out after scoring 64 runs off 90 balls at a strike rate of 71, attempting an aerial shot off Santner’s delivery.
Shaheen Afridi and Khushdil Shah built a 47-run partnership for the seventh wicket, but Shaheen fell for 14 runs at 200. Khushdil Shah continued his aggressive play but was caught after scoring 69 off 49 balls at a total of 229.
The last two wickets contributed 31 runs, with Haris Rauf scoring 19 and Naseem Shah 13, as Pakistan were all out for 260 in the 48th over.
For New Zealand, Will O’Rourke and Mitchell Santner took three wickets each. Matt Henry claimed two, while Michael Bracewell and Nathan Smith took one each.
New Zealand’s Strong Batting Performance
Earlier, New Zealand, powered by centuries from Will Young and Tom Latham, posted 320 runs in their 50 overs. Pakistan, having won the toss, opted to bowl first. Shaheen Afridi opened the bowling, with Naseem Shah taking over from the other end.
New Zealand lost their first wicket at 39 when Devon Conway was bowled by Abrar Ahmed for 10 runs. One run later, at 40, Kane Williamson was dismissed for just 1 run by Naseem Shah.
Haris Rauf struck in the 17th over, dismissing Daryl Mitchell for 10 runs at a total of 73. After losing early wickets, New Zealand’s batting stabilized as Will Young and Tom Latham built a crucial 118-run partnership. Young played a solid knock, scoring 107 off 113 balls before getting out at 191.
Latham and Glenn Phillips then put together a quickfire 124-run partnership off 75 balls for the fifth wicket. Latham completed his century, while Phillips smashed a half-century. Phillips was eventually dismissed for 61 off 39 balls, and New Zealand finished at 320/5 in 50 overs.
For Pakistan, Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf took two wickets each, while Abrar Ahmed claimed one.
Tom Latham Named Player of the Match
Tom Latham was awarded Player of the Match for his brilliant century against Pakistan. Speaking after the match, he acknowledged the pitch was different from those played on during the tri-series. He praised Will Young’s batting and Glenn Phillips’ explosive finishing, which helped them reach a strong total.
Latham highlighted New Zealand’s well-executed batting strategy and noted that having wickets in hand allowed them to accelerate in the final overs, especially with short boundaries providing scoring opportunities.
Pakistan Records Lowest Powerplay Score on Home Soil
During their run chase, Pakistan set an unwanted record, scoring just 22 runs in the first 10 overs—their lowest powerplay total at home in ODIs. Previously, their lowest was 19 runs against England in Abu Dhabi. Their overall lowest powerplay total in ODIs remains 9 runs against New Zealand in Dunedin in 2018.
Haris Rauf: Pakistan’s Most Expensive Bowler
Haris Rauf emerged as Pakistan’s most expensive bowler, conceding 83 runs in 10 overs despite taking two wickets. Shaheen Afridi gave away 68 runs in 10 overs without a wicket, while Naseem Shah claimed two wickets for 63 runs in 10 overs.
Abrar Ahmed was Pakistan’s most economical bowler, troubling New Zealand’s batsmen with his spin, taking one wicket for 47 runs in 10 overs. Meanwhile, Khushdil Shah conceded 70 runs in 7 overs at an economy rate of 5.71, and Salman Ali Agha bowled three overs for 15 runs without taking a wicket.
Why Did Pakistan Lose Against New Zealand? Rizwan Explains
Pakistan cricket team captain Mohammad Rizwan attributed the defeat against New Zealand to an unexpectedly high target set by the opposition. Speaking after the loss in the opening match of the Champions Trophy 2025, Rizwan stated that the team had anticipated restricting New Zealand to around 260 runs, especially after taking early wickets. However, the partnership between Will Young and Tom Latham completely changed the course of the game.
During the post-match press conference, Rizwan acknowledged that New Zealand batted smartly, which allowed them to post a big total. He noted that while the pitch was not easy for batting initially, Young and Latham’s innings played a decisive role in the match.
Rizwan further pointed out that Pakistan lost its rhythm twice—first, in the final overs of their bowling innings, where the bowlers failed to contain runs, and second, during the powerplay of their batting innings, where the team struggled. He emphasized that the absence of Fakhar Zaman was a major setback in the chase.
As the defending champions, Rizwan admitted that the team felt some pressure in this match but stated that they are now focusing on the next game, which they will treat like a regular fixture. Regarding Fakhar Zaman’s injury, Rizwan said the team is awaiting scan reports to determine the extent of his condition.
