PAK vs NZ ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Opener
New Zealand Kicks Off Champions Trophy with a Dominant Win
Starting with an amazing clash between Pakistan and New Zealand in Karachi on February 19, 2025, the much awaited ICC Champions Trophy 2025 got off. After almost thirty years, Pakistan returned to host a worldwide event and had a difficult start as New Zealand wrecked the celebration with a comprehensive 60-run triumph. Driven by exceptional centuries from Tom Latham and Will Young, the Kiwis presented their credentials for a title challenge.
Key Performances and Match Scorecard
New Zealand: 320/5 in 50 overs (Latham 118*, Young 107, Phillips 61; Naseem 2/63)
Pakistan: 260 all out in 47.2 overs (Khushdil 69, Babar 64; O’Rourke 3/47, Santner 3/66)
Result: New Zealand won by 60 runs
While New Zealand spoilt their party on the Champions Trophy’s opening day, giving the co-hosts a 60-run setback in Karachi, Pakistan had to wait over three decades for a worldwide competition to return to their nation. In a brief, fierce event when every side plays just three group-stage games, a loss like this could compromise Pakistan’s prospects of qualifying for the semi-finals.
Though there was some serendipity, Will Young and Tom Latham were the architects of their team’s triumph; both batsmen scored exceptional hundreds to set up the dominance that followed.
Two balls into the game, Fakhar Zaman was taken off the field for most of the first innings after suffering an injury pursuing a cover drive from Young. Fakhar, whose strong hitting is exactly what was required for a major chase, couldn not begin the batting in their search of 321 due to the time off the field. And he was obviously impeded going between the wickets when he came out to bat at No. 4 – Pakistan had 22 for 2 in ten overs at the time.
Michael Bracewell and Glenn Phillips, New Zealand’s offspinners, made life much more difficult for him by constantly concealing the ball out of reach. Fakhar’s tormented stay came to an end when Bracewell bowled him with a non-turner for 24 off 41 balls.
Like Fakhar, most of the Pakistan hitters missed first gear; Babar Azam, who needed 81 balls for his fifty, was among them. The injuries to Lockie Ferguson and Ben Sears limited New Zealand’s attack, but on a surface with turn and varying bounce their spinners made up for it. New Zealand never needed their third seamer, Nathan Smith, until the 31st over since the spinners were so outstanding. Pakistan’s asking rate by then had virtually hit ten an over.
The absence of Rachin Ravindra, caused by injury, also weakened New Zealand; however, Young and Latham struck tone-setting hundreds before Glenn Phillips gave an electrifying conclusion. New Zealand plundered 113 off their last 10 overs to finish with 320.
But when New Zealand dropped to 40 for 2 in the ninth over and then 73 for 3 in the 17th over, that overall had seemed so far off. Young then teamed up with Latham to fix the early damage before running middle overs under direction.
Young has been on the margins of his international career most of the time. Had Ravindra been fit and despite his maiden international hundred away from home, he might have made way for Ravindra once the allrounder heals.
Young had become the Player of the Series in New Zealand’s legendary 3-0 sweep of India in absence of Kane Williamson, but he was omitted for Williamson in New Zealand’s very next Test against England at home. But Young is eager to seize any chance, as he showed on Wednesday once more.
Following Devon Conway’s undoing by a carrom ball from mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed for 10 and Williamson fell for his first single-digit ODI score in six years, Young reined in the next over and saw off tough spells from Abrar and Naseem Shah.
Young developed his third fifty-plus score in nine innings in Pakistan into a century. Arriving there in 107 balls in the 35th over, Ravindra kindly praised him from the dressing room.
Latham stayed perfect on 118 off 104 balls while rattling off his own hundred off 95 balls. After he had come into the tri-series final on the back of three ducks, extending back to the Auckland ODI against Sri Lanka in January, it marked a stunning turn around for him. Latham reminded the world of his whole range after being helped by several reprieves on his route to 56 in the tri-series final against Pakistan. To throw Pakistan’s spinners off, he performed a range of sweeps, including the reverse, from a range of distances. Of his 118 runs, fifty-two arrived on the leg side straight or behind square.
Young holed out for 107, then Latham formed a 125-run alliance with Phillips for the fifth wicket off only 74 balls. Having missed ten of eighteen balls, Phillips shot to his fifty off his next sixteen. He had started Shaheen for consecutive sixes and then shaped to ramp Haris Rauf over short third, ending it toe-ending it to the fielder for 61 off 39.
Still, Phillips wasn’t finished. Leaping to his left from point, he created the play of the day by sticking out one hand above his head and clinging to a screamer to dismiss Mohammad Rizwan for three off fourteen balls on the last ball of the first powerplay. For 6 in the fourth over, Will O’Rourke had already removed Saud Shakeel, the makeshift opener substituting for Fakhar. Matt Henry, who missed the tri-series final with a knee niggle, also kept it tight in the first powerplay, which only produced Pakistan 22 for 2.
It was third lowest in Champions Trophy history and Pakistan’s lowest score in the first ten overs since March 2019. Despite late blows from Khushdil Shah, who struck 69 off 49 balls, and the lower order, there would be no way back for them. Pakistan bowled out for 260 in the 48th over.
Though he took some tap in the end, Santner came away with three wickets in his debut game in a global event as New Zealand captain. New Zealand put Pakistan away with merciless efficiency and enhanced their reputation as title contenders, for the third match in two weeks.
