Watch cricket video highlights of Champion’s Trophy 2025 First Match 2025. First match between Pakistan and New Zealand. Venue of the match will be Karachi.
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Preview
Karachi recently hosted the final two matches of a tri-series, and they turned out to be very different games. On February 12, South Africa scored 352, marking the highest total ever made at this venue, but that record was short-lived as Pakistan successfully chased it down with an over to spare. Just two days later, Will O’Rourke took four wickets, and the formidable Santner recorded 2 for 20 in his ten overs, as Pakistan, choosing to bat first in the final, was dismissed for 242—a target that New Zealand achieved with five wickets in hand and 28 balls remaining.
What kind of pitch can we expect at the National Stadium on Wednesday? Recent data indicates it is a challenging venue for fast bowlers in ODIs, as evidenced by their collective average of 33.67 and economy rate of 6.02 over the past decade. In contrast, while Lahore has been equally tough on spinners, Karachi has allowed them some relief; their wicket-taking average stands at 45.50, and they have conceded only 5.11 runs per over.
Based on recent patterns, pitches in international tournaments have generally provided good batting conditions while still offering bowlers opportunities: the last three ICC ODI competitions—the 2017 Champions Trophy, as well as the 2019 and 2023 World Cups—concluded with overall run rates of 5.54, 5.59, and 5.82 respectively. Wednesday is forecasted to be a warm day in Karachi, reaching a high of 29 degrees Celsius, with very little to no chance of precipitation.
New Zealand enters the Champions Trophy missing two of their initial fast-bowling choices – Lockie Ferguson and Ben Sears – who are both out of the tournament. Additionally, there are concerns about Rachin Ravindra’s fitness, as he hasn’t participated in a match since being struck on the head by the ball while fielding in the tri-series opener; however, the opener has been practicing batting in training sessions leading up to the tournament.
New Zealand will make a decision about his availability following their Tuesday training session, with Will Young likely to open with Devon Conway if they choose to play it safe with Ravindra. Kyle Jamieson, who is set to replace Ferguson, will not reach Karachi in time to be eligible for the opening match. Haris Rauf did not participate in the recent ODI tri-series due to a side strain that forced him off the field during the match against New Zealand.
Nevertheless, he has been bowling in the nets ahead of the Champions Trophy, and Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan expressed confidence in his fitness for the tournament opener. This situation should allow Pakistan to field a complete-strength XI. In the recently wrapped-up tri-series, New Zealand’s spinners collectively achieved an impressive economy rate of 4.41, especially when compared to their counterparts from Pakistan and South Africa, who recorded rates of 5.67 and 5.94, respectively.
This statistic highlights the talent of Mitchell Santner and Michael Bracewell, who each took five wickets during the series, maintaining nearly identical averages and economy figures. They represent one of the strongest spin partnerships in the tournament: a left-arm fingerspinner and an offspinner, both of whom are also quite capable with the bat. Babar Azam has gone 21 innings without scoring a hundred in ODIs, which wouldn’t be unusual for most batters, but Babar is not like most batters.
This streak includes only two scores in single digits, indicating that he hasn’t been in poor form, but a significant score from their once-unquestionable run machine at a major event on home turf would delight Pakistan. Batting at the top of the order instead of at No. 3, a substantial contribution from him would also alleviate any concerns Pakistan might have regarding their batting lineup’s structure.
We find ourselves in an era where the ODI format struggles for attention, overshadowed by its elder sibling that garners immediate respect due to its history and experience, while the younger format demands all eyes with its vibrant displays. Nevertheless, the ODI format consistently reminds us of its allure, especially during global tournaments. The past two ODI World Cups have provided numerous thrilling matches and highlighted the diverse skills that this format can both condense and expand.
Considering how little we’ve engaged with ODIs in recent times, our desire for it should be at its highest, despite the Champions Trophy’s somewhat awkward position in the schedule and among the ICC’s member boards. A lot has transpired since Sarfaraz Ahmed held this trophy eight years ago, leading many to overlook its existence, yet here we stand, and it is now returning. The tournament kicks off with Pakistan, the reigning champions and (semi) hosts, as they face a familiar opponent in the opening match.
No other visiting team has participated in more ODIs here than New Zealand, who have played 11 matches in this country since 2019, and they begin this Champions Trophy just five days after defeating Pakistan in the final of an ODI tri-series. Karachi was the venue for that match and will also host this one. The fact that New Zealand and Pakistan placed fourth and fifth—just within and just outside the knockout positions—in both the 2019 and 2023 World Cups indicates something significant about these teams.
Especially since Pakistan triumphed in the head-to-head matchups on both occasions. This reflects teams that possess the potential for championship glory but are also prone to shortcomings that can cost them titles, making it perhaps the perfect matchup to start the tournament.
