Pakistan’s ICC Champions Trophy 2025 campaign began on a disappointing note as skipper Mohammad Rizwan’s side suffered a 60-run defeat to New Zealand in the opening match at Karachi’s National Bank Stadium.
New Zealand posted a challenging 321-run target, exploiting Pakistan’s struggles in the middle and death overs. Speaking after the match, Rizwan admitted they hadn’t expected such a high total, initially aiming to restrict them to around 260. He credited Will Young and Tom Latham for their crucial contributions and acknowledged Pakistan’s poor execution in the final overs.
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Pakistan’s chase faltered early, losing key wickets and failing to build momentum. Rizwan pointed out the loss of Fakhar Zaman as a turning point. Despite entering as defending champions, he emphasized that the team wasn’t feeling pressured and would treat their next game against India as just another match while focusing on improvement.
