Pakistan Right-arm leg break Abrar Ahmed bagged the first of the Champions Trophy by dismissing Devon Conway for 10 in the opening game at Karachi.
Mohammad Rizwan-led Pakistan will lock horns with Mitchell Santner-led New Zealand to play the 1st ODI of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 on February 19 in National Stadium, Karachi.
Pakistan and New Zealand both have played 118 ODIs so far where Pakistan won 61 games and New Zealand won 53 matches. On the other hand, Pakistan and New Zealand have faced off three times in the Champions Trophy in 2000, 2006 and 2009. New Zealand have won all three times.
Winning the toss, Pakistan decided to bowl first where Devon Conway and Will Young opened the inning for New Zealand. Pakistan star pacer Shaheen Afridi opened the bowling attack.
New Zealand’s opening batters made a steady start and struck the loose deliveries in their favour. While New Zealand batters seen cemented, Abrar Ahmed dismissed Devon Conway for 10 in the third delivery of the 8th over and registered the first wicket of the 2025 Champions Trophy.
In the very first game of the Champions Trophy, Pakistan faced a massive blow as their left-handed opening batter Fakhar Zaman sustained an injury. Pakistan have included Kamran Ghulam as his replacement in the field.
New Zealand: Devon Conway, Will Young, Kane Williamson, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham(w), Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner(c), Nathan Smith, Matt Henry, William ORourke
Pakistan Playing 11: Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan(w/c), Salman Agha, Tayyab Tahir, Khushdil Shah, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed
