KARACHI – New Zealand secured a 60-run victory over Pakistan in the opening match of the ICC Champions Trophy at National Bank Stadium, Karachi.
Chasing a 321-run target, Pakistan was bowled out for 260 runs. Khushdil Shah top-scored with 69, while Babar Azam contributed 64.
Agha Salman (42), Fakhar Zaman (24), Haris Rauf (19), Shaheen Afridi (14), Naseem Shah (13), Saud Shakeel (6), captain Mohammad Rizwan (3), and Tayyab Tahir (1) failed to take Pakistan over the line.
For New Zealand, Will O’Rourke and captain Mitchell Santner took three wickets each, while Matt Henry claimed two. Michael Bracewell and Nathan Smith grabbed one wicket each.
Earlier, New Zealand posted 320/5 in 50 overs. Despite losing three wickets for 73 runs, they recovered through a 118-run stand between Will Young (107) and Tom Latham. Latham (104*) and Glenn Phillips (61) added another 125 runs.
Pakistan’s Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah took two wickets each, while Abrar Ahmed got one.
After winning the toss, Pakistan’s captain Rizwan opted to field first, aiming for a strong start in the tournament. New Zealand’s captain Santner was confident of putting up a challenging total to put Pakistan under pressure.
Squads
| Pakistan | New Zealand |
|---|---|
| Mohammad Rizwan (C) | Mitchell Santner (C) |
| Abrar Ahmed | Michael Bracewell |
| Babar Azam | Mark Chapman |
| Faheem Ashraf | Devon Conway |
| Fakhar Zaman | Kyle Jamieson |
| Haris Rauf | Matt Henry |
| Kamran Ghulam | Tom Latham |
| Khushdil Shah | Daryl Mitchell |
| Mohammad Hasnain | Will O’Rourke |
| Naseem Shah | Glenn Phillips |
| Salman Ali Agha (VC) | Rachin Ravindra |
| Saud Shakeel | Jacob Duffy |
| Shaheen Shah Afridi | Nathan Smith |
| Tayyab Tahir | Kane Williamson |
| Usman Khan | Will Young |
Fans can expect an exciting contest as both teams look to kick off their campaigns with a win.
More updates to follow…
