Slider1
Slider2
Slider3
Slider4
previous arrow
next arrow

ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Pakistan crushed by New Zealand in opening game

ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Pakistan crushed by New Zealand in opening game

In their Group A match at the National Stadium in Karachi, Pakistan, New Zealand defeated defending champions and hosts Pakistan by 60 runs to further their Champions Trophy aspirations.

To help New Zealand get off to a slow start on Wednesday and post a commanding 320-5 victory after being given a starting lineup, Will Young and Tom Latham combined for 107 and 118.

New Zealand’s 300-point milestone, which had seemed like a distant dream after their shaky beginning, was reached by Glenn Phillips, who scored a quick 61.

Pakistan were all out for 260 in 47.2 overs with Babar Azam (64) and Khushdil Shah (69) scoring half-centuries, but the hosts never looked in the hunt.

Mitchell Santner, the New Zealand captain, said, “The way Young and Latham rotated the strike and got the odd boundary really set us up.”

“We were considering 260-280, but it illustrates what you can do with wickets and a platform. After the score we got, the first 10 overs with the ball were outstanding”.

New Zealand’s Tom Latham celebrates reaching his century]Akhtar Soomro/Reuters]

After struggling with a sluggish start, Santner and Will O’Rourke both made three wickets for the Kiwis, and even a cameo from Pakistan’s No. 7 Khushdil Shah, who scored 69 off 49, came too late.

In the first innings, Fakhar Zaman suffered an early injury and was forced to take a field position.

The opening batter was prevented from rejoining the game until his team was two down in the chase, as a result.

It severely hampered the hosts, who were 22-2 at the end of the power play.

Cricket - ICC Men's Champions Trophy - Group A - Pakistan v New Zealand - National Stadium, Karachi, Pakistan - February 19, 2025 Pakistan's Khushdil Shah in action REUTERS/Akhtar Soomro
Pakistan’s Khushdil Shah almost single-handedly kept the chase alive]Akhtar Soomro/Reuters]

Mohammad Rizwan, the Pakistan skipper who lost, claimed that his team were confident when they faced New Zealand in the toss. “They made a very good target”, he said. “We didn’t expect they would get 320. We thought around 260 when we took early wickets.

” The pitch was not easy to bat early on, but Young and Latham’s innings were crucial. Our execution in the end overs was not good, and that’s why they made that score. “

Pakistan’s third straight defeat against New Zealand on home soil puts pressure on them for their follow-up group game against India on Sunday.

Source: Aljazeera

234Radio

234Radio is Africa's Premium Internet Radio that seeks to export Africa to the rest of the world.