Pakistan has not had an easy time against New Zealand in the past ten days, losing three successive matches in crucial games. The Kiwis have been in great shape, dominating Pakistan in every department. Here's a brief rundown of how events went:

Pakistan in the last 10 days against New Zealand:

8th Feb - NZ beat PAK in Tri series.

14th Feb - NZ beat PAK in Tri series Final.

19th Feb - NZ beat PAK in Champions Trophy.

- THE DOMINATION OF NEW ZEALAND..!!!! pic.twitter.com/C7MB5fuI0B

— Tanuj Singh (@ImTanujSingh) February 19, 2025

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February 8, 2025 – Tri-Series Match
The series opened with New Zealand posting a record 331, aided by a fantastic 106* by Glenn Phillips. Pakistan resisted with Fakhar Zaman's 84 but fell short and were bowled out for 252. Black Caps are off to a good start.
February 14, 2025 – Tri-Series Final
Pakistan got an opportunity to get their revenge in the final but their batting failed once again, scoring just 242 runs. New Zealand chased it easily, with Tom Latham and Daryl Mitchell guiding them to a five-wicket win.
February 19, 2025 – Champions Trophy Group Match
The biggest stage, but the same outcome. New Zealand maintained their winning streak against Pakistan, claiming another win and showing their dominance.
The Takeaway
Three losses, three games – it has not been a good period for Pakistan. New Zealand, on the other hand, have demonstrated why they are amongst the most consistent sides in world cricket. Pakistan will have to regroup and return stronger in their upcoming games.

The uproar surrounding the Missing Flag

A viral video appeared ahead of the opening of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 with the Indian flag missing at Karachi's National Stadium. The video quickly raised a storm, particularly among Indians. Most had predicted that the omission of the flag was a deliberate act, and some associated it with the friction between the Pakistan Cricket Board and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), especially after India had declined to visit Pakistan over security issues.

Indian flag flying high in Karachi 🇮🇳🫡#ChampionsTrophy | #TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/TfmlfaC20f

— Indian Cricket Team (@incricketteam) February 19, 2025

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The Indian Flag Finally Makes It Out

Luckily, the drama was reversed when the situation improved during the tournament opener match between Pakistan and New Zealand. As the birds' eye views of the National Stadium were transmitted, the audiences could identify the Indian flag flapping proudly between the flags of the other rival nations. When the flag went up alongside those of the remaining eight teams' flags, that was perceived by fans globally as a welcome act. Fans cheered on social media, and a testament to the warmth of the occasion.

This was done after the International Cricket Council (ICC) ordered that flags of all teams participating should be flown. The PCB, in recognition of this order, confirmed that all flags, including India's, were flown as part of the regulations of the event, bringing an end to the controversy.

The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 will start on February 19, 2025. Fans of cricket all over the globe are looking forward to seeing their favorite teams face each other in this elite competition. The event will host major cricketing nations, which will ensure exciting games and heated rivalries. Live coverage from several platforms will mean that viewers get to enjoy good-quality broadcasts in different languages, making the experience smooth and effortless.

CHAMPIONS TROPHY GROUPS

Group A: Pakistan (hosts), India, New Zealand, Bangladesh

Group B: Australia, England, South Africa, Afghanistan

Notable Things

• Tournament Start Date: February 19, 2025
• India's First Match: February 20, 2025 (India vs Bangladesh)
• India vs Pakistan Clash: February 23, 2025

First match: Pakitan vs New Zeland

LIVE STREAMING DETAILS

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India Champions Trophy Squad: Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Ravindra Jadeja, Varun Chakaravarthy

•  Coach: Gautam Gambhir
• Best performance: Champions (2002, 2013)

Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh isn’t taking more hype for the India-Pakistan clash in the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy. He believes that match on February 23 in Dubai is "overhyped" and India will dominate in their biggest rivarls. India is in Group A, will face Pakistan in their second match of the ICC Champions Trophy, which starts on February 19.  

Harbhajan Singh Speaking on his YouTube channel, India’s squad is so strong and Pakistan’s inconsistency, saying the match is unlikely to be competitive. "fans hype up India vs Pakistan, but I don’t see anything special about it. India is a very strong team, while Pakistan has been struggling with their forms. They recently lost at home with New Zealand team and players are not in good form and inconsistent. If you compare both teams, India is clearly dominating in both batting and bowling,".

Harbhajan Singh said that Fakhar Zaman is the only player who trouble India in the ICC Champions Trophy. "I checked the stats Babar averages 31 against India, which isn’t great for a top class player. His average should be around 50. Rizwan’s average is even lower at 25. The only Pakistani batter who looks dangerous is Fakhar Zaman, with an average of 46. He can take the game away from India. But other than him, their batting is so weak. Faheem Ashraf averages just 12.5 against India, and Saud Shakeel only six. According to the lineup, I don’t see them putting up a big fight with India."  

Harbhajan also highlighted the strong form of India’s key players before the tournament. Rohit Sharma(Captain) has scored runs, Shubma Gill(Vice Captain) is in  good form, Axar Patel is performing well, and Virat Kohli recently hit a fifty against England in the last ODI. He may not best in the England ODI series, but he always delivers in big tournaments. KL Rahul is also playing well."  

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Comparing with recent performances, Harbhajan said India’s bowling attack is looking good. "Our bowlers are in good rhythm. We just defeated England in a home series, while Pakistan lost to New Zealand. Pakistan will play New Zealand in their first match, and I think they’ll lose again. Pakistan won an ODI series in Australia, which should have boosted their confidence, but they haven’t looked more different since, Rizwan is a good captain, but maybe their team just isn’t confident. Babar hasn’t been scoring, and even though Rizwan and Salman Agha have hit centuries now and then, the team doesn’t look strong. 

He also spoke about the expensive tickets for the match, saying fans may not get the close contest they expect. "Ticket prices have gone way up, but I don’t think the game will be as thrilling as fans hope. This big match on February 23 might just be one-sided."  

Babar Azam vs. Wiaan Mulder: High Drama in Pakistan vs. South Africa Clash

In the ongoing match between Pakistan and South Africa at the Newlands Stadium in Cape Town, star batter Babar Azam has hogged the limelight. The incident that caught everyone's attention was Babar losing his cool on Wiaan Mulder, who hit him with the ball out of frustration. This dramatic moment added spice to a day already filled with riveting cricket.

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The Context

It was a roller-coaster day for Babar Azam and Pakistan. Despite Babar’s heroics, Pakistan struggled in their first innings, tumbling for just 194 runs. South Africa enforced the follow-on, putting Pakistan under immense pressure. However, Babar and Shan Masood had other plans, as the duo stitched a remarkable 150-run opening stand in the second innings, frustrating the Proteas.

The Agressive Side Of Babar Azam ❤️‍🩹🔥.#BabarAzam #SAvsPAK #PAKvSA #PakistanCricket #Babar #SAvsPAK pic.twitter.com/eRME0Hn20C

— Babarology 56 🇵🇸 (@HaroonRaso94849) January 5, 2025

The Heated Moment

As tensions mounted, Wiaan Mulder’s frustration boiled over. Spotting Babar out of the crease, Mulder threw the ball directly at him during his over. The ball hit Babar, and the usually composed batter lost his temper. He pointed to the stumps to remind Mulder of the game’s spirit and even came face to face with the bowler, delivering a verbal retort. This fiery exchange became the talking point of the day, showcasing the high-pressure environment both teams were operating in.

pic.twitter.com/MPbnRRAEMF

— rohitkohlirocks@123@ (@21OneTwo34) January 5, 2025

Babar Azam’s Brilliance

Despite the heated moment, it was a day to remember for Babar Azam fans. The Pakistan skipper slammed twin fifties on the same day, marking a remarkable comeback after a lean patch of 19 innings without a half-century. With three fifties in his last three innings, Babar is rediscovering his best form, much to the delight of his supporters.

Match Situation

By the end of the day, Pakistan were 155/0 in their second innings, making South Africa pay for enforcing the follow-on. Babar and Masood’s partnership has given Pakistan a fighting chance, and the Proteas will need to regroup to break this stand.