New Zealand Crushes Pakistan by 60 Runs in ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Opener

Will Young and Tom Latham Shine as New Zealand Triumphs

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New Zealand kicked off their ICC Champions Trophy 2025 campaign with an emphatic 60-run victory over Pakistan at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi. Centuries from Will Young and Tom Latham, combined with a strong bowling display, secured the win for the Blackcaps.

Pakistan Falls Short in 321-Run Chase

Chasing a challenging 321-run target, Pakistan struggled to keep up with the required run rate and were bowled out for 260 in 48 overs. Despite resilient knocks from Babar Azam and Khushdil Shah, the home side fell short.

Early Setback for Pakistan

Pakistan’s innings got off to a disastrous start as they lost two wickets within the first 10 overs. Skipper Mohammad Rizwan (3) and Saud Shakeel (6) departed early, leaving Pakistan reeling at 22/2.

Fakhar Zaman and Babar Azam attempted to stabilize the innings, adding 47 runs. However, Fakhar (24 off 41) fell to Michael Bracewell in the 21st over.

Babar Azam’s Fighting Half-Century

Vice-captain Salman Ali Agha provided a brief fightback with a quick 42-run cameo but was dismissed by Nathan Smith in the 31st over. Pakistan suffered another blow as Babar Azam, who scored a patient 64 off 90 balls, was dismissed, reducing them to 153/6 in 34 overs.

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Khushdil Shah’s Late Heroics

Coming in at number seven, Khushdil Shah launched a counterattack. His 49-ball 69, featuring 10 fours and a six, gave Pakistan a glimmer of hope. However, he was dismissed in the 44th over by Will O’Rourke, leaving Pakistan on the brink of defeat.

Lower-order contributions from Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah were not enough to turn the tide, as New Zealand’s bowlers wrapped up the innings efficiently.

New Zealand’s Bowling Dominates

Mitchell Santner and Will O’Rourke led the bowling attack with three wickets each. Matt Henry also made an impact, securing two dismissals to restrict Pakistan’s batting lineup.

New Zealand Posts Formidable 320/5

After being put to bat first, New Zealand set an imposing total of 320/5 in 50 overs. The innings was anchored by a game-changing 118-run partnership between Young and Latham.

Pakistan Strikes Early

New Zealand faced early trouble as Abrar Ahmed bowled out Devon Conway (10) in the eighth over. Further setbacks followed when Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf dismissed Kane Williamson (1) and Daryl Mitchell (10), reducing New Zealand to 73/3 in 16.2 overs.

Will Young and Tom Latham’s Centuries

Latham joined Young at the crease, and the duo took control of the innings with a commanding fourth-wicket stand. Young played a brilliant knock of 107 off 113 balls, hitting 12 fours and a six before falling to Naseem Shah in the 38th over.

Latham remained unbeaten with a match-winning 118 off 104 balls, smashing 10 fours and three sixes.

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Glenn Phillips Provides the Finishing Touch

Glenn Phillips added the finishing flourish with a blistering 61 off 39 balls, which included three fours and four sixes. His quickfire innings pushed New Zealand past the 320-run mark.

Pakistan’s Bowling Efforts

Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf claimed two wickets each, while Abrar Ahmed managed one. Despite their efforts, Pakistan’s bowling attack struggled to contain New Zealand’s aggressive batting lineup.

Conclusion

New Zealand’s comprehensive performance in both batting and bowling secured a dominant 60-run victory over Pakistan. With this win, they have made a strong statement in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Pakistan, on the other hand, will need to regroup and bounce back in their next match to keep their campaign alive.

Mr. Azhar ul Haq Wahid - Editor Mr. Azhar ul Haq Wahid joins "To The Sports News" as an Editor, bringing a decade of comprehensive journalistic experience to our team. A respected Pakistani journalist, he has dedicated his career to covering a wide array of global issues across the world, demonstrating a deep understanding of complex subjects and a commitment to detailed reporting. Mr. Wahid has a background working with prominent print and electronic media organizations, including Channel Five TV, the newspaper "Khabrain," The Nation/Nawa-i-Waqt, NNI, Daily Sama, City 42, Star Asia, Waqt News, Daily The Business, and Daily The Khabrain. His work has covered areas such as Environment, Health, and Sports. He is also a member of the Lahore Press Club, the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), and the Society of Environmental Journalists (SEJ), highlighting his dedication to journalistic standards and diverse reporting. His academic background includes a BS Honors degree in Sociology and an MPhil from Punjab University, alongside a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Sargodha. Furthermore, Mr. Wahid is a Ph.D. candidate in Journalism at Complutense University of Madrid, and has contributed to research on topics including the relationship of sports participation with achievement, motivation, and innovation traits among university students, and the effects of parental involvement on student participation in sports. With his extensive experience in covering diverse topics and his keen analytical skills, Mr. Azhar ul Haq Wahid is poised to lead our sports news coverage with depth, accuracy, and insightful perspectives, ensuring our readers receive top-tier journalistic content.

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