Karachi: The rampaging New Zealand side thrashed Pakistan for the third time in two weeks as they registered a comprehensive win in the Champions Trophy 2025 campaign opener at Karachi National Stadium here on Wednesday, February 19. They've made it 4-0 against Pakistan in Champions Trophy meetings,
Only two teams can progress into the semi-final and already Pakistan, the current holders, are facing a seriously uphill climb with India waiting for them this weekend.
Clinical New Zealand down Pakistan in #ChampionsTrophy 2025 opener 👏#PAKvNZ 📝: https://t.co/E5MS83KLLA pic.twitter.com/JpcqY5664Q
— ICC (@ICC) February 19, 2025
Pakistan have been outplayed, out-tacticed and out-skilled by New Zealand in their own den. Pakistan faced the same familiar issues as they conceded too many in the death overs, and then had a mountain to climb.
New Zealand win the opening match of ICC Champions Trophy 2025#PAKvNZ | #ChampionsTrophy | #WeHaveWeWill pic.twitter.com/MvD3upTSoZ
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) February 19, 2025
Two balls into the game, Fakhar Zaman suffered an injury while chasing a cover drive from Young and was forced off the field for large parts of the first innings. With Fakhar ineligible to open the innings due to an injury and staying off the field for a long time, Pakistan sent Babar Azam and Saud Shakeel to open the innings, but it didn't go well for the host. Both batters played tepidly against the swing Kiwi bowlers found under lights before southpaw Shakeel was dismissed, giving a simple catch at third-man.
Skipper Mohammed Rizwan replaced him and fell to a stunner of a catch at backward point by none other than Glenn Phillips. Men in Green showed some resilience, but the intent to score runs was clearly missing. Babar took as many as 81 balls to get to his fifty, while Fakhar Zaman struggled to find his groove as well and was struggling with his fitness as well.
There was a late cameo from Khushdil Shah who got a fifty (69 off 49 balls), and then the bowlers had some fun with a few sixes, but that just reduced the margin of defeat and the margin of embarrassment, as the fate of the match was already sealed. For New Zealand's part, they used the early swing perfectly and then the spinners bowled slowly, extracting plenty of turn off the surface.
William ORourke and Mitchell Santner picked three wickets each, sharing six wickets between them. Matt Henry took two while Michael Bracewell and Nathan Smith claimed one apiece.
Tom Latham was named Player of the Match for his heroic century under pressure.
Earlier, riding high on opener Will Young and Tom Latham's hundreds, New Zealand posted the highest-ever (320) team total against Pakistan by any team in Champions Trophy history, bettering the 319 for 3 by India in a 48-over affair in 2017. New Zealand's total against Pakistan in Karachi is their second-highest in the Champions Trophy, behind 347 for 4 against the USA in 2004.
Will Young smash the first hundred of the ninth edition of the Champions Trophy while Latham remained not out on 118. Latham amassed 107 off 113 balls with the help of 14 fours and a lone six, striking at 94.69. Latham now has the highest individual score by any player against Pakistan in the Champions Trophy. No batter scored a hundred for New Zealand on their Champions Trophy debut before Young and Latham.
New Zealand were reeling at 73/3 when Young and Latham switched 118-run partnership to put pressure back on Pakistan. The partnership was followed up by brisk hitting by Glenn Phillips, who scored 61 runs off just 39 balls with the help of a four and 4 maximums. Latham and Phillips together scored 125 runs for the fifth wicket.
NZ have now won all four games against Pakistan in the Champions Trophy
By 4 wickets, Nairobi, 2000 SF
By 51 runs, Mohali, 2006
By 5 wickets, Johannesburg, 2009 SF
By 60 runs, Karachi, today
Most overs of finger-spin for NZ in an ODI
30 vs AUS, Edgbaston, 2013 CT
29 vs SL, Pallekele, 2024
29 vs PAK, Karachi, 2025 CT
28 vs BAN, Nelson, 2016
28 vs AUS, Dharamsala, 2023 CWC
