KARACHI: New Zealand thrashed Pakistan by 60 runs in the opening match of ICC Championship Trophy 2025 at the National Bank Stadium Karachi on Wednesday.
Asked to bat first, New Zealand posted 320 for five. Pakistan were all out for 260. Century maker Tom Latham was declared man of the match.
Pakistani batters struggled to make a long partnership as New Zealand bowlers kept taking wickets.
Only Khushdil Shah (64 runs on 46 balls with 10 boundaries and Salman Ali Agha (42 runs on 28 balls with 6 boundaries and one six) offered resistance against New Zealand bowlers.
Opener Babar Azam scored 60 runs on 90 balls with six boundaries and one six. But his slow batting increased the required run rate.
The other opener Saud Shakeel scored just 6 runs and Captain Muhammad Rizwan scored only 3.
Fakhar Zaman, who scored 24 runs off 42 balls, was clean bowled by Doug Bracewell.
Salaman Ali Agha was caught by Bracewell off Nathan Smith.
Khushdil batted in aggressive style and smashed boundaries towards all parts of the ground but it was too late.
Pakistan team played 157 dot balls in their whole innings (47.2 overs) all out.
Earlier, Pakistan won the toss and opted to field. New Zealand openers Devon Conway and Will Young started the innings slowly and cautiously. In the early overs, the Kiwi batters focused on singles and doubles but did not lose the chance of boundaries.
After completion of five overs, Muhammad Rizwan brought spinner Abrar Ahmed from the pavilion end. Nasim Shah who was bowling from the pavilion end bowled from the other end.
Both decisions benefited Pakistan as they got two wickets. First Abrar clean bowled Conway at the score of 39 runs. Conway scored 10 runs with two boundaries. In the next over Naseem removed Kane Williamson, the most reliable and experienced batsman of New Zealand. He was caught behind the wicket.
In the 13th over, Will Young hit first six of New Zealand innings when pace bowler Haris Rauf delivered a short pitched delivery to him. He easily pulled the ball and sent it into the stands at deep square leg.
In the 17th over Haris bowled a short ball to Daryl Mitchell and got him caught by Shaheen Shah Afridi. At the end of 20th over, New Zealand were 93 for 3. But after that Will Young and Tom Latham played wonderfully, establishing 118 runs partnership and maintained the run rate of New Zealand. Will Young after completing his century was caught at deep square leg by Faheem Ashraf. He scored 107 runs off 113 balls with 14 boundaries and one six.
Glenn Philips join Latham and the partnership between them prove a nightmare for Pakistan as both got 125 runs for the 5th wicket. Philips smashed sixes more than the boundaries. Philips banged two consecutive sixes off Shaheen in the 47th over. Shaheen cost 18 run in this over.
On the other hand, Latham completed his century. He scored 118 runs not out with 10 boundaries and 3 sixes. Philips got out just two balls before the 50 overs were completed. New Zealand scored 320 runs for the loss of 5 wickets. Haris conceded 83 runs in 10 overs, Shaheen 68 and Naseem 63.