Clinical New Zealand Outclass Pakistan By 60 Runs In Champions Trophy Opener

PAK vs NZ: It’s a wrap!

Okay, folks! That is it from the opening match of Champions Trophy 2025. We hope you liked our coverage. Do join us for tomorrow’s game as India are set to take on Bangladesh in Dubai in their campaign opener. For now, goodbye.

PAK vs NZ Live: New Zealand win!!!

Pakistan are all out for 260 runs and New Zealand win the game by 60 runs. That is a clinical win for the visitors as they never really let Pakistan truly dominate them, especially in the second innings. NZ start their Champions Trophy campaign on a winning note and Pakistan must be under pressure now as they face arch-rivals India in the next game. 

NZ 320/5 (50)

PAK 260 (47.2)

PAK vs NZ Live: WICKET!

Khushdil Shah is OUT! He has hit it right into the hands of long-on and departs after scoring 69 off 49 balls. That might be the game for New Zealand. Pakistan need 92 runs in 38 balls. The hosts are eight down and they now stare at defeat.

PAK 229/8 (43.4)

PAK vs NZ Live: Fifty for Khushdil!

Khushdil Shah raced to his half-century in only 38 balls but it seems a bit late for Pakistan now as the asking rate has reached 13.5. Pakistan need 108 runs in 48 balls. Can Khushdil turned the game up for the hosts from this point? Let’s see. 

PAK vs NZ Live: WICKET!

Shaheen Afridi is out for 14 off 13 balls. It was a short ball from Matt Henry that skid off the surface, Shaheen went for the big pull shot but edged it to wicketkeeper Tom Latham. End of 41 overs, Pakistan need 121 runs in 54 balls.

PAK 200/7 (41)

PAK vs NZ Live: Pak need 125 in 60

A flighted delivery from Glenn Phillips and Khushdil Shah hit it away for a six over the long-on. It came on the third delivery of the over that fetched Pakistan 9 runs. End of 40 overs, Pakistan need 125 runs in 60 balls.  

PAK 187/6 (40)

PAK vs NZ Live: SIX!

A flighted delivery from Glenn Phillips and Shaheen Afridi has smoked it away for a biggie. What a sensational shot that was from number 8 batter of the Pakistan team. Pakistan need 140 runs in 77 balls. It is an uphill task for sure, but in cricket, you never know. 

PAK 181/6 (37.1)

PAK vs NZ Live: Fans leave stadium!

Plenty of fans were seen leaving the stadiumm, right after the wicket of Babar Azam. He seemed to be the hope of Pakistan in this stiff chase, but once he fell, the fans decided to make their way out of the stadium.

PAK vs NZ Live: WICKET!

Big fish for New Zealand and that puts them really ahead in this game now. Babar Azam is gone for 64 off 90 balls and it is the veteran spinner Mitchell Santner who provides his side the wicket. It was a tossed up delivery and Babar top edged it to square leg. He is out for 64 off 90 balls and the home team fans are in shock. Pakistan are in all sorts of trouble now.

PAK 153/6 (34)

PAK vs NZ Live: 16-run over!

It seems Babar Azam has now decided to accelerate a bit. He slammed Nathan Smith for a six on the first ball of the over while Khushdil Shah hit a four on the fourth ball. A total of 16 runs came off the over. 

PAK 146/5 (33)

PAK vs NZ Live: WICKET!

A soft dismissal for Tayyab Tahir and Pakistan are five down now in the chase of 321 runs against New Zealand in Karachi. Mitchell Santner bowled it short and the ball skid on the surface to rush Tahir, who only managed to hit it at short mid-wicket.

PAK 128/5 (31.3)

PAK vs NZ Live: WICKET!

Salman Agha is gone for 42 off 28 balls and Pakistan are under further pressure in this game. Agha danced down the track and Nathan Smith smartly bowled a fast short ball. As a result, the batter mistimed it in the air and got out.

PAK 127/4 (30.4)

PAK vs NZ Live: Fifty for Babar!

Babar Azam has scored his half-century in 81 balls. It has come really slow, especially considering the huge target of 321 that Pakistan are chasing in this game. Nonetheless, the hosts would hope the star batter to take his innings deep and create some real chance if chasing it down.

PAK vs NZ Live: 6,4 – Pak on the charge!

Salman Agha is fighting hard for Pakistan. He slammed Glenn Phillips for a six and a four in the over that fetched Pakistan a total of 15 runs. Agha and Babar’s partnership is doing a good for the hosts but they need some overs like these to stay in hunt. 

PAK 119/3 (29)

PAK vs NZ Live: FOUR!

Good shot this is from Salman Agha. It was a short ball and the Pakistan batter adjusted well to play the cut short for a four through backward point region. A mishit from Agha on the following delivery and he will get another boundary. Meanwhile, Pakistan cross the 100-run mark. 

PAK 102/3 (27.2)

PAK vs NZ Live: End of 25 overs!

Pakistan need 238 runs in the remaining 25 overs. They need 9.52 runs from this point. This is a really tough ask. While their batters have underperformed in this innings, one also should not take the credit of the New Zealand bowlers, who have been really disciplined so far.

PAK 83/3 (25)

PAK vs NZ Live: Poor luck for Santner!

23.3 – That is a beautiful delivery from Mitchell Santner but to his poor luck the ball has raced away for a four. The ball was pitched around middle and leg stump and Salman Agha tried to play it on the leg side. The ball turned viciously after that and beat the batter and also the wicketkeeper alongside brushing the stumps, and ran away to the boundary. 

PAK vs NZ Live: OUT!

New Zealand get the wicket of Fakhar Zaman and that is the end of the Pakistan batter’s struggle as he was facing a lot of difficulty batting out there due to his injury. Michael Bracewell bowled it fuller and Zaman missed the ball while trying to play a slog-sweep. The ball rattled his stumps and Zaman got out for 24 off 41 balls. 

PAK 69/3 (20.5)

PAK vs NZ Live: Catch dropped!

19.4 – There was a chance for New Zealand. Fakhar Zaman had got a top edge while trying to play a slow-sweep. Devon Conway ran forward from deep mid-wicket, did a fine job to reach the ball and grab it but the ball popped out of his hands as soon as his diving elbow hit the ground.

PAK vs NZ Live: An appeal for run-out!

Babar Azam was quite casual in that run and a direct hit raised some interest but the Pakistan batter had comfortably made it to the crease at the other end.

PAK 66/2 (19.2)

PAK vs NZ Live: FOUR!

A fuller and flighted delivery from Michael Bracewell and Fakhar Zaman has played a slog-sweep on it for a four. A boundary comes for Pakistan after nearly three overs, 17 balls to be precise. Pakistan need many more like this as the asking rate is already over 8.

PAK 65/2 (18.2)

PAK vs NZ Live: Fakhar struggling!

Fakhar Zaman is hobbling out their at the middle. He is finding it hard to continue his innings. It seems that the injury that he sustained in the first innings is taking a toll on him now. This is not a good sign for Pakistan. As I type this, Zaman has played a beautiful sweep shot for a four.

PAK 49/2 (15)

PAK vs NZ Live: FOUR!

Enough is enough says Fakhar Zaman as he steps out of his crease to smash the ball down the ground for a four. Glenn Phillips bowled it with some flight and Zaman took up the challenge. The batter is looking in discomfort. He seems unfit to play this game. On the very next ball, Zaman is struggling even more and he has asked for the physio, it seems.

PAK 40/2 (13.4)

PAK vs NZ Live: OUT! What a catch!!!

Oh my word! That is a stunning catch from Glenn Phillips to end the knock of Mohammad Rizwan. It was bowled short and wide from William O’Rourke and Rizwan cut it really hard towards the backward point. Phillips there reacted quickly and pulled off a stunning catch. Rizwan departs for 3 off 14 balls. Pakistan have scored 22 for 2 in the first 10 overs which is also their lowest powerplay total in a home ODI.

PAK 22/2 (10)

PAK vs NZ Live: FOUR!

Babar Azam hits William ORourke for a four. Pakistan get a boundary after a long gap, such disciplined has been New Zealand’s bowling. Babar hit the four through the backward point region. A dot ball follows it, five came off the over.

PAK 19/1 (8)

PAK vs NZ Live: FOUR!

Wow! That’s a classic cover drive from Babar Azam for a four. It was hit so well that the mid-off literally didn’t have any chance to give it a try. The fielder gave up too early as the ball whizzed past him for the boundary. This will give Babar a lot of confidence. A dot ball follows. Only four came off the over.

PAK 12/1 (5)

PAK vs NZ Live: OUT!

Big blow for Pakistan as they have lost an early wicket in the big chase of 321 runs. It was a short of length delivery from William O’Rourke outside off-stump and Saud Shakeel threw his bat to his. He got a thick outside edge and the third man took the catch. 

PAK 8/1 (3.4)

PAK vs NZ Live: Good bowling

Another tight over from New Zealand. William O’Rourke started with a wide ball but made a good comeback in the following deliveries to only concede a single on the next five balls. This is a good and disciplined start from New Zealand.

PAK 3/0 (2)

PAK vs NZ Live: Good start for Henry!

Only a single came off Matt Henry’s first over. Saud Shakeel got off the mark on the first delivery of the innings while Babar Azam carefully played the next five balls.

PAK 1/0 (1)

PAK vs NZ Live: The chase begins!

Babar Azam and Saud Shakeel are out there at the middle to start Pakistan’s chase. The southpaw takes the strike, while Babar is at the other end. New Zealand’s Matt Henry has the new ball in hand. Here we go…

PAK vs NZ Live: Here is what Will Young said –

“Means a great deal obviously. The start of the Champions Trophy and to start like that is a special feeling. 320 is a good total, didn’t look that possible after those 3 early wickets. Tommy (Latham) came out with the fire and we managed to keep the board rolling. We will have to see how the wicket behaves. Was difficult when they bowled back of a length and it did spin as well,” said Will Young at the innings break.

PAK vs NZ Live: New Zealand post a big total!

It is the end of 50 overs of action and New Zealand have posted a big total of 320 for 5. Tom Latham (118 not out) and Will Young (107) scored solid centuries while Glenn Phillips also contributed with a quickfire 61 that came off only 39 balls. 

NZ 320/5 (50)

PAK vs NZ Live: OUT!

Glenn Phillips is gone for 61 off 39 balls. End of an entertaining and crucial knock. He wanted to reverse sweep it over the short third man but failed to do it. Fakhar Zaman, who has returned to the field, took the catch. Two balls remaining in this innings.

NZ 316/5 (49.4)

PAK vs NZ Live: New Zealand 6 away from 300!

11 runs came off Haris Rauf’s over. Tom Latham slammed a six in it. Runs keep coming for New Zealand and now they are only six runs away from the mark of 300.

NZ 294/4 (48)

PAK vs NZ Live: Umpire is lucky there!

Batter Glenn Phillips was doing shadow practice with his bat without spotting umpire Richard Kettleborough. He swung his bat with power and the umpire narrowly escaped a serious injury. Meanwhile, Tom Latham raced to his century in the 47th over. Shaheen Afridi leaked 18 runs in the over and New Zealand look all set for a 300-plus total now.

NZ 283/4 (47)

PAK vs NZ Live: Big over!

Glenn Phillips also hit a six on the fifth ball of Haris Rauf’s over that fetched New Zealand a total of 16 runs in it. New Zealand could still reach 300 from this point. Anything around it could be a really good total to defend on this track.

NZ 256/4 (45)

PAK vs NZ Live: FOUR!

44.1 – A fuller ball from Haris Rauf onto the pads of Glenn Phillips and that has been smashed away for a four. The ball went towards the cow corner for the boundary.

PAK vs NZ Live: SIX!

Not much spin on that fuller ball from Khushdil Shah and Glenn Phillips has slammed it away for a biggie. Much-needed boundary for New Zealand as the runs have dried up for them. Last two overs fetched only 8 runs.

NZ 224/4 (42.5)

PAK vs NZ Live: SIX!

39.2 – A fuller delivery onto the pads from Naseem Shah and Tom Latham flicked it away nonchalantly for a six. There is a fielder at deep mid-wicket but the ball sailed over him.

PAK vs NZ Live: OUT!

There is the breakthrough Pakistan needed. It was a length ball bowled at stumps and Young wanted to go for a big one. He didn’t get the pull shot from the middle of his bat and the ball went high in the air. Substitute fielder Faheem Ashraf made a good run from deep mid-wicket to deep square leg to take the catch. Young fell for 107 off 113 balls.

NZ 191/4 (37.2)