The opening match of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 will be between the hosts and defending champions, Pakistan and 2000 winners New Zealand. The Black Caps are coming off a tri-series win in the same conditions as they beat PAK twice in the series. Even though the Asian side recently beat South Africa and Australia in away series, they looked out of sorts in the tri-series.
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Not to forget, the Green Brigade have never beaten the Kiwis in the history of the tournament. In the three matches played in 2000, 2006, & 2009 editions, all of them were won by the former champions. The 2000 and 2009 matches were the semifinals of those tournaments. Every match in the tournament is expected to be a make or break for all teams.
Pakistan vs New Zealand: Match Details
| Match | Pakistan vs New Zealand Match 1 |
| Venue | National Stadium, Karachi |
| Timings | 2:30 PM IST |
| Date | February 19 |
Pakistan vs New Zealand: Head to Head
| MATCHES PLAYED | Pakistan WON | New Zealand WON | TIED | NO RESULT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 118 | 61 | 53 | 1 | 2 |
Pakistan vs New Zealand: Probable Playing XI
| Pakistan | New Zealand |
|---|---|
| Fakhar Zaman | Devon Conway |
| Babar Azam | Will Young |
| Saud Shakeel | Kane Williamson |
| Mohammad Rizwan | Daryl Mitchell |
| Tayyab Tahir | Glenn Phillips |
| Agha Salman | Michael Bracewell |
| Khushdil Shah | Tom Latham (wk) |
| Naseem Shah | Mitchell Santner © |
| Shaheen Afridi | Matt Henry |
| Haris Rauf | William ORourke |
| Abrar Ahmed | Nathan Smith |
Pakistan vs New Zealand: Pitch Report and Weather Condition
| Match Timings | Pitch Report | Weather | Chance of Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2:30 PM IST | Batting friendly | 40-45%. Highest Temp – 30 Degrees | None |
Pakistan vs New Zealand: Players to watch out for
Pakistan:
Fakhar Zaman recently made a comeback and did well during the tri-series. His runs are the key for Pakistan to either post a competitive or chase a tough total.
Saud Shakeel hasn’t been much consistent in ODI cricket but can play important innings in the top-order if needed.
Agha Salman has been a key player for his side in the late middle-order across Tests and ODIs. He recently helped Pakistan chase 350-plus against South Africa.
New Zealand:
Former captain Kane Williamson had a great tri-series as he managed to end his more than five-year long century drought in ODIs. His runs in ICC tournaments have always been handy.
Daryl Mitchell is a dangerous middle order player who tackles spin well and helps his side maintain a good run rate during the overs 11-40.
Glenn Phillips has always troubled Pakistan with the bat in the past and expects him to do this again.
Pakistan vs New Zealand: Who will win the toss?
Both teams might look to bat first as the effect of dew might be too less to risk batting second. Not to forget, chasing in an ICC tournament brings added pressure.
Scenario 1: Pakistan wins the toss and bat first
| Pakistan Total 1st innings | New Zealand Total 2nd innings |
| 250-260 | 265 |
Scenario 2: New Zealand win the toss and elect to bat first
| New Zealand Total 1st innings | Pakistan Total 2nd innings |
| 330-340 | 250-260 |
Pakistan vs New Zealand: Match Prediction
Even though Pakistan is playing at home, their stats in recent years across formats at home have been abysmal to say the least. New Zealand seems to have cracked the code of success in Pakistan as they at least once a year in the South Asian country. New Zealand are favorites to win the match.
FAQs
Who will win the match?
New Zealand will win the match.
What will be the weather prediction?
The weather will be fine for a cricket match with less amount of humidity.
Will Dew have any impact?
The dew won’t have much impact as the humidity is low.
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