Champions Trophy: Pakistan's underwhelming performance hands New Zealand easy win

• Khushdil Shah, Babar Azam scored 69, 64 respectively.
• Will O'Rourke, Mitchell Santner share 3 wickets each.
• Pakistan to face India in Dubai on February 23.

New Zealand grabbed a 60-run victory against Pakistan with contribution of Will O’Rourke's three and Mitchell Santner's two in the opening match of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 played at the National Bank Stadium, Karachi, on Wednesday.

Chasing a daunting 321-run target, the home side could accumulate 260 before getting bowled out in the 48th over despite half-centuries from Babar Azam and Khushdil Shah.

Pakistan had a dismal start to the pursuit as they were reduced to 22/2 in 10 overs with skipper Mohammad Rizwan (three) and Saud Shakeel (six) falling cheaply.

Following the early hiccup, Fakhar Zaman joined Babar in the middle in a bid to launch recovery.

The pair, however, could add 47 runs to the total as Fakhar fell victim to Michael Bracewell in the 21st over after scoring 24 off 41 deliveries with the help of four boundaries.

Vice-captain Salman Ali Agha then offered some fightback with a blistering 42-run cameo until falling victim to Nathan Smith in the 31st over.

Pakistan then lost two more wickets in quick succession, including that of their ace batter Babar Azam, and consequently slipped to 153/6 in 34 overs.

Babar scored a cautious 64 off 90 deliveries, smashing six fours and a six.

Coming out to bat at number seven, Khushdil Shah went after the New Zealand bowlers, hitting 10 fours and a six on his way to a brisk 49-ball 69.

He was eventually dismissed in the 44th over by Will O’Rourke, who put New Zealand just two wickets within the victory.

Pakistan’s tailenders Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah offered some resistance down the order but their efforts were not enough to lead their side to victory.

Mitchell Santner and O’Rourke took three wickets each for New Zealand, followed by Matt Henry, who claimed two.

Put into bat first, the Blackcaps registered 320/5 on the board in their allotted 50 overs, thanks to a match-defining fourth-wicket partnership between Young and Latham.

The visitors, however, got off to a shaky start to their innings as mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed inflicted an early blow by castling Devon Conway (10) on the third delivery of the eighth over.

New Zealand suffered two more blows in quick succession as pacers Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf picked up the key wickets of Kane Williamson (one) and Daryl Mitchell (10), bringing the total down to 73/3 in 16.2 overs.

Following the slump, wicketkeeper batter Latham, who scored a match-winning half-century in the tri-nation ODI series final last week, joined set batter Young in the middle.

The duo partnered strongly to put New Zealand in a commanding position by adding 118 runs for the fourth wicket.

Naseem eventually broke the threatening partnership in the 38th over by getting rid of centurion Young, who scored 107 off 113 deliveries, studded with 12 fours and a six.

Latham, on the other hand, stood his ground firm and carried his bat all the way through with an unbeaten century.

He remained the top-scorer for New Zealand with an unbeaten 118 off 104 deliveries with 10 fours and three sixes.

He was supported by in-form Glenn Phillips, who smashed a quickfire half-century to push New Zealand to amass the 320-run mark.

Phillips made 61 from 39 deliveries, laced with three fours and four sixes.

For Pakistan, Naseem and Rauf picked up two wickets each, while Abrar Ahmed chipped in with one dismissal.