KKN Gurugram Desk | The much-awaited ICC Champions Trophy 2025 has officially begun, with host nation Pakistan facing New Zealand in the opening match at Karachi’s National Stadium. This marks the return of the 50-over tournament after eight years, and both teams are looking to start strong.

Pakistan’s pace attack has dominated early, as Naseem Shah and Abrar Ahmed picked up two wickets each, putting New Zealand under pressure. Meanwhile, an injury scare for Pakistan came when Fakhar Zaman was forced off the field after an injury during fielding.

Let’s look at the live updates and key moments from the match.

Pakistan vs New Zealand – Live Score & Match Summary

Match Details

• Tournament: ICC Champions Trophy 2025
• Match: Pakistan vs New Zealand, Match 1
• Date: February 19, 2025
• Venue: National Stadium, Karachi
• Toss: Pakistan won the toss and chose to bowl

Live Score Update

Key Players So Far

• Will Young: 49* (55)
• Haris Rauf: 12/1 (2.2)
• Naseem Shah & Abrar Ahmed: 2 wickets each

Key Moments of PAK vs NZ Match

1️⃣ Injury Scare for Pakistan

• Fakhar Zaman injured himself on the second ball while fielding at extra cover.
• He has not returned to the field yet, causing concern for the Pakistan camp.

2️⃣ Pakistan’s Dominance with the Ball

• Abrar Ahmed got the first breakthrough, dismissing Devon Conway (10) with a well-disguised carrom ball.
• Naseem Shah removed Kane Williamson (1) with a sharp delivery, caught behind by Mohammad Rizwan.

3️⃣ Will Young’s Steady Knock

• New Zealand’s Will Young has been holding the innings together, currently unbeaten at 49 runs.
• He has played some brilliant shots, including a six and multiple boundaries, helping New Zealand recover.

4️⃣ Early Boundaries & Strong Start for NZ Openers

• Devon Conway and Will Young started aggressively, putting pressure on Pakistan’s bowlers.
• Shaheen Afridi’s first over saw a stunning boundary from Conway, but Pakistan quickly regained control.

5️⃣ New Zealand Crosses 50 Runs Mark

• At 11 overs, New Zealand reached the 50-run milestone, but their slow start could be a concern.

Captains’ Thoughts at the Toss

???? Mohammad Rizwan (Pakistan Captain):

• “We will bowl first. The dew factor will play a role later, so we want to take advantage early.
• We are the defending champions, so there’s pressure, but we will treat it like a normal match.
• Haris Rauf is back, which is a big boost for our bowling attack.”

???? Mitchell Santner (New Zealand Captain):

• “The wicket looks good for batting, but we have a job to do.
• We have a mix of experience and young players, and we are playing good cricket.
• Matt Henry comes back into the squad to strengthen our bowling attack.”

Pakistan’s Playing XI ????

1️⃣ Fakhar Zaman
2️⃣ Babar Azam
3️⃣ Saud Shakeel
4️⃣ Mohammad Rizwan (c/wk)
5️⃣ Salman Agha
6️⃣ Tayyab Tahir
7️⃣ Khushdil Shah
8️⃣ Shaheen Afridi
9️⃣ Naseem Shah
???? Haris Rauf
1️⃣1️⃣ Abrar Ahmed

New Zealand’s Playing XI ????

1️⃣ Devon Conway
2️⃣ Will Young
3️⃣ Kane Williamson
4️⃣ Daryl Mitchell
5️⃣ Tom Latham (wk)
6️⃣ Glenn Phillips
7️⃣ Michael Bracewell
8️⃣ Mitchell Santner (c)
9️⃣ Nathan Smith
???? Matt Henry
1️⃣1️⃣ William O’Rourke

PAK vs NZ Head-to-Head Records

???? Champions Trophy Record

• Matches Played: 3
• Pakistan Wins: 0
• New Zealand Wins: 3
• Last Match: New Zealand defeated Pakistan by 5 wickets (Johannesburg, 2009)

???? Overall ODI Head-to-Head

• Matches Played: 118
• Pakistan Wins: 61
• New Zealand Wins: 53
• Tied Matches: 1
• No Result: 3
• Last Match Result (2025): New Zealand won by 5 wickets

Pakistan’s Road to Redemption in ICC Tournaments

1️⃣ Pakistan Hosting Its First ICC Event in 29 Years

• This is Pakistan’s first ICC tournament on home soil since 1996.
• The country was barred from hosting ICC events after the 2009 terror attack on Sri Lanka’s team.
• PCB has assured tight security measures to ensure smooth operations.

2️⃣ Babar Azam’s Excitement for the Tournament

• “Playing an ICC tournament in Pakistan after so long is exciting,” said Babar Azam.
• “We want to win for our fans, and I will do my best to lead from the front.”

3️⃣ Pakistan’s Recent Struggles Against New Zealand

• Despite being defending champions, Pakistan has lost consecutive ODI series against New Zealand.
• The Kiwis won the recent Tri-Nation Series, boosting their confidence ahead of this tournament.
• Will Young is nearing his half-century, and New Zealand will aim for a solid total.
• Pakistan’s bowlers need to continue taking wickets to restrict New Zealand below 250.
• With dew expected later, Pakistan’s chase could become easier under lights.

Will Pakistan’s bowlers dominate, or will New Zealand fight back? Stay tuned for more live updates!

???? Follow ICC Champions Trophy 2025 LIVE for the latest scores, expert analysis, and exclusive coverage! ????????