Home SportsICC Champions Trophy 2025, PAK vs NZ: Babar Azam and Khushdil Shah’s fifties fall short as New Zealand beat Pakistan by 60 runs New Zealand kicked off their ICC Champions Trophy 2025 campaign with a commanding 60-run victory over defending champions Pakistan at the National Bank Stadium, exposing several vulnerabilities in Pakistan’s batting lineup. ICC Champions Trophy 2025, PAK vs NZ: Babar Azam and Khushdil Shah's fifties fall short as New Zealand beat Pakistan by 60 runs. (PIC - X) New Delhi: New Zealand kicked off their ICC Champions Trophy 2025 campaign with a commanding 60-run victory over defending champions Pakistan at the National Bank Stadium, exposing several vulnerabilities in Pakistan’s batting lineup. This result not only extended New Zealand’s dominance over Pakistan in the competition, with a 4-0 head-to-head record, but also left the hosts with a difficult road ahead in Group A, where only two teams will progress to the semi-finals. Despite losing the toss and being sent to bat under conditions that were expected to favor the chasing side, New Zealand displayed resilience and smart cricket. Their top-order, led by Will Young (107) and Tom Latham (118*), countered Pakistan’s early swing threat with calculated shot-making. The two batsmen’s commanding centuries anchored New Zealand’s innings, before Glenn Phillips added a quickfire 61 off 39 balls in the final overs. Their collective efforts saw New Zealand post a formidable total of 320, which seemed out of Pakistan’s reach given their inconsistent batting performances in recent matches. Pakistan’s response got off to a slow start. Fakhar Zaman, unable to open due to an injury sustained while fielding, watched as Babar Azam and Saud Shakeel were tasked with providing a solid foundation. However, Shakeel fell early chasing a wide delivery from Will O’Rourke, and Mohammad Rizwan followed soon after, dismissed by a stunning one-handed catch from Phillips at backward point. Pakistan struggled to reach just 22/2 in 10 overs, marking their lowest powerplay score in ODIs since 2019. Fakhar Zaman, despite his injury, walked in at No. 4 but struggled to rotate the strike against New Zealand’s well-disciplined spinners. Michael Bracewell and Phillips dried up the runs, with Fakhar eventually falling for 24 off 41 balls. Salman Agha briefly ignited some hope with a quickfire 42 off 28 balls, taking on Phillips, but his dismissal in the 30th over left Pakistan with a tough challenge ahead. New Zealand’s bowling strategy was a masterclass in containment and pressure. After Matt Henry and O’Rourke restricted Pakistan’s top order, Santner and Bracewell took control, exploiting the turning pitch to perfection. With over 100 dot balls in the first 25 overs, Pakistan’s innings lacked any real momentum. The turning point came when Santner dismissed Babar Azam for 60 off 90 balls, a painstaking knock that never threatened New Zealand’s grip on the match. Santner continued to impose himself, removing Haseebullah Tahir and then getting Babar Azam to mishit a sweep shot, reducing Pakistan to 153/6 by the 34th over. With the required run rate climbing past 12, Pakistan’s defeat was virtually sealed. Despite the mounting pressure, Khushdil Shah launched a spirited counterattack, smashing 69 off 49 balls. His aggressive batting, particularly on the leg side, briefly kept Pakistan’s slim hopes alive. However, New Zealand’s bowlers stuck to their plan, taking pace off the ball and keeping it wide, forcing Khushdil to mis-hit in the 44th over. His dismissal ended Pakistan’s last real hope, and while the tailenders managed a few late boundaries, it only reduced the margin of defeat. Pakistan’s failure to rotate the strike and their slow start proved costly. Their decision to prolong the chase backfired, as they found themselves well behind the required rate with limited resources left. The 104 dot balls in the first 25 overs highlighted their struggles to break free from New Zealand’s strategy. On the other hand, New Zealand’s disciplined bowling, effective use of spin, and sharp fielding were key to their dominant victory. Their ability to adapt to the conditions and execute their game plan effectively demonstrated their growing credentials as title contenders. This loss leaves Pakistan in a difficult position ahead of their crucial match against arch-rivals India. The defending champions must address their batting issues, particularly their lack of intent and inability to build momentum early in the innings. With Bangladesh also in their group, the road to the semi-finals has become much harder, and any further slip-ups could be detrimental. New Zealand, on the other hand, will look to build on this strong start as they face Bangladesh next on February 24 in Rawalpindi. A win there would put them in a strong position for a semi-final spot, further solidifying their status as one of the top contenders for the title. Brief scores: New Zealand 320/6 in 50 overs (Will Young 108, Tom Latham 118 not out, Glenn Phillips 61; Naseem Shah 2/63, Haris Rauf 2/83) beat Pakistan 260 all out in 47.2 overs (Babar Azam 60, Khushdil Shah 69; Will O’Rourke 3/45, Mitchell Santner 3/47) by 60 runs. Source link