New Zealand began their 2025 Champions Trophy campaign with a remarkable performance, overwhelming the host nation Pakistan in the opening match with both bat and ball.
After winning the toss, Pakistan’s Mohammad Rizwan opted to field, sending New Zealand in to bat. New Zealand posted a total of 320 runs in their full 50 overs, while Pakistan could only manage 260 runs in response. New Zealand won by 60 runs.
The win was particularly significant as New Zealand managed to bowl out Pakistan, who had just completed a thrilling chase of 350 runs against South Africa on the same ground during the tri-series.
While much of the attention in Group A was on the India-Pakistan rivalry, New Zealand made a strong statement in their opening match, demonstrating that they were a force to be reckoned with in ICC tournaments.
Pakistan seemed to have dug themselves into a hole early on. After 13 overs and 2 balls, the TV screen showed that Pakistan had faced 60 dot balls out of 80 balls, with their top order failing to score effectively. By the 20th over, the required run rate had already risen to nearly 9, and by the 30th over, it had reached 10.
In the first 25 overs, Pakistan accumulated 104 dot balls. During this period, former captain and star batsman Babar Azam was at the crease, scoring 64 runs off 90 balls at a strike rate of 71. This was a significant challenge for Pakistan, as Aakash Chopra, former Indian cricketer and analyst, pointed out on the social media platform X, writing, "Every dot ball will make Pakistan suffer."
As the innings progressed, Pakistan’s middle order crumbled under pressure and was dismissed one by one.
Fakhar Zaman's Injury
Fakhar Zaman, Pakistan's top-order batsman, made headlines after leaving the field early in the match due to a muscle strain. There were doubts about whether he would return to bat, but he bravely rejoined the game despite the pain. However, his efforts were limited, as he continued to struggle physically, eventually scoring just 24 runs off 41 balls.
Young and Latham’s Dominance
New Zealand’s batting didn’t start smoothly, with wickets falling regularly at the beginning of their innings. Kane Williamson, in particular, was dismissed for just 1 run—his first single-digit score in an ODI since June 2019. Williamson's wicket was a moment of celebration for Pakistan, with Naseem Shah’s jubilant reaction after taking the wicket. A length ball from Shah, slightly on the middle, touched Williamson's bat and was caught by wicketkeeper Rizwan.
New Zealand also lost Darrell Mitchell at 73 runs, but the partnership between opener Will Young and experienced batter Tom Latham steadied the innings. The two added 118 runs off 126 balls, both scoring centuries.
Latham, who had struggled for form earlier in 2025, rediscovered his rhythm in Pakistan. After a 56-run innings in the tri-series final, he played an excellent knock of 118 runs off 104 balls in this match.
Pakistan’s fast bowlers, Shaheen Shah Afridi (68 runs), Naseem Shah (63 runs), and Haris Rauf (83 runs), gave away plenty of runs in their full 10 overs. Meanwhile, New Zealand’s bowlers kept Pakistan in check early, taking 2 wickets for 22 runs in the first 10 overs, which set the tone for the rest of the innings.
Glenn Phillips' Stormy Innings and Flying Catch
When Glenn Phillips entered the fray, New Zealand was at 191 for 5 in the 37.2 overs. From that point, New Zealand scored 129 runs in the last 12.4 overs, with Phillips contributing 61 runs off just 39 balls, including 3 fours and 4 sixes. His explosive innings, played at a strike rate of 156, turned the match in New Zealand’s favor.
Phillips also took a stunning catch to dismiss Rizwan, further cementing his impact on the game.