New Zealand start the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in strong fashion as they beat the hosts and defending champions Pakistan by 60 runs at the National Stadium in Karachi in the Group A contest. 

The ninth edition of the ICC Champions Trophy started on Wednesday (February 19) after Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan chose to bowl first. While New Zealand scored 320/5 in 50 overs on a tricky pitch, Pakistan were all out for 260 runs in 47.2 overs. 

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Will Young and Tom Latham scored centuries, Glenn Phillips fired Pak bowlers

New Zealand openers Will Young and Devon Conway produced a 39-run partnership for the first wicket, where Young was excellent. Although, Kane Williamson (1) lost his early after Conway's dismissal for 10 runs, and Daryl Mitchell was also out for 10 runs, Young and Tom Latham batted sincerely. They had hardly any hiccups to build up a solid partnership that set a strong foundation for the Blackcaps. 

Young and Latham had a 118-run partnership for the fourth wicket, where Young completed his fourth ODI century in 107 balls. Before his dismissal, the Kiwi opener scored 107 off 113 balls with 12 fours and one six. Latham then get another solid partner Glenn Phillips. 

While Latham controlled the mid innings, Phillips took his time to get settled down as the no.6 batter scored 17 off first 21 balls. Ultimately, they had a game-changing 125-run partnership for the fifth wicket. Latham completed his eighth ODI hundred in 95 balls, while Phillips completed his 50 runs in 34 balls. At his dismissal on the fourth ball of the final over, Phillips scored 61 off 39 balls with three fours and four sixes. Wicketkeeper-batter Latham scored 118 not out off 104 balls with the help of 10 fours and three sixes, while the Blackcaps added 113 runs in the last 10 overs. 

Among the Pakistan bowlers, Naseem Shah (2/63) and Haris Rauf (2/83) bagged two wickets each. 

Pakistan started poorly, and it cost the game 

Pakistan had a poor start as the New Zealand pacers were tight enough to restrict the hosts to just 22/2 at the end of the first powerplay. Due to his on-field injury in the first over of the match, Fakhar Zaman was off the field for his treatment and returned on the field later, and he couldn't bat for the first 25 minutes of Pakistan innings. Saud Shakeel's (6) forced opening didn't work, and captain Mohammad Rizwan (3) came to bat just about the 20th minute of the inning, and he was out cheaply on the final ball of the 10th over, majorly thanks to Glenn Phillips' stunning catch.

While Babar Azam wasn't scoring fluently, injured Fakhar Zaman couldn't run, and those things made the situationings but cheaply lost wicket on the final ball of the powerplay, thanks to n more difficult for the defending champions. While Fakhar was out for fighting 24 runs, in-form Salman Agha once again showed his calibre at the pressure situation by scoring 42 off 28 balls with six fours and one six. Babar and Salman had a 58-run partnership for the fourth wicket. 

Babar completed his 50 runs in 81 balls and later tried to fire up but lost his wicket after scoring 64 off 90 balls with six fours and one six. Khusdil Shah only showed the fighting battle in the innings as he slammed 69 off 49 balls with 10 fours and one six, but the game was already gone from them. Lower-order batters Shaheen Shah Afridi (14), Naseem Shah (13), and Haris Rauf (19) added some good runs which showed the top-order batters that the situation would be different with their positive intents.  

Among the New Zealand bowlers, Will O’Rourke (3/47) and Mitchell Santner (3/66) bagged three wickets each, and Matt Henry (2/25) got two wickets. 

For his impressive batting, Tom Latham won the Player of the Match award.