New Zealand (320/5) defeat Pakistan (260) comfortably by 60 runs to clinch triumph in the inaugural match of ICC Champions Trophy 2025

[gazza619]

NZ on top.

Good teams can chase 320 on this flat deck.

Not so easy for Pakistan though.

 

[OldWarHorse]

Glen Phillips looks like a WWE wrestler. I don’t follow WWE regularly but can’t recollect the name . Any WWE fan can help?

Booker T

 

[Thanos]

Still 20-30 runs short. Latham has been complete waste in death overs in this match. Good yorkers by Pak bowlers in last 2-3 overs.

 

[shah9425]

Damage is done already

 

[Rana]

Aim for 90 runs in first 10 overs play it like t20 then go on building partnership mode

You can get these runs by just making sure you are close to 180 in 30 overs

 

[m.shah]

Pakistan's tournament sharu hote hi khatm hogaya..serves well to Rizwan and aqib for picking Khushdil, Faheem and Saud and Usman

 

[batandballbattle]

When the pitch isn't offering bounce rauf is useless

 

[RyanRyan10]

Comedy

 

[Local.Dada]

Booker T

I said I don’t follow WWE , didn’t say I was color blind haha

 

[Van_Sri]

My Prediction New Zeland will reach 318

Just 2 runs more 320/5

 

[Deewana Mastana]

321 to win

113 off the last 10 overs

 

[Energy]

Khushdil with another theatric performance in the field.

Love the attitude.

 

[gazza619]

Booker T

Brock Lesnar

 

[m.shah]

If he fails throughout the tournament, then I wont mind seeing him discarded from the team. Its time to invest in that tall bowler Im forgetting the name.

True

 

[Kianig89]

Our bowling flopped as expected over to batting now

 

[Amjid Javed]

320 is about Par here.

Pakistan need to play the NZ spinners a lot better then they did in Tri series

 

[Devadwal]

Due to latham statpadding , NZ are 20 runs shorts

NZ 320/5 in 50 over.

Target is 321 runs for pakistan

 

[Rana]

10 runs short of my liking

Backing Pakistan to chase this

 

[Ahmed216]

Khushdil Vettori should open in absence of Fakhar

 

[RidiculousMan]

321.

113 coming off last 10 overs. New Zealand probably short 10-15 runs here. This looks about par.

 

[RyanRyan10]

Glen Phillips looks like a WWE wrestler. I don’t follow WWE regularly but can’t recollect the name . Any WWE fan can help?

Boogeyman

 

[m.shah]

Haha Khushdil is such a loser

 

[jattafridi]

last 10 overs 113 runs

 

[GLORY OF '92]

NZ are big favourites. I'm expecting max 270 from Pakistan.

 

[RidiculousMan]

Must say Abrar's fielding has improved since his debut. He also bowled well today.

 

[Mainul]

Pakistan couldn't capitalize on a good start with the ball. Pakistani pace bowling has been looking ordinary for quite some time now along with spin bowling. Very difficult with this bowling to win the trophy

 

[Devadwal]

320 is about Par here.

Pakistan need to play the NZ spinners a lot better then they did in Tri series

From 73-3 in 16.2 overs to conceded 320 is not good for pakistan but yes this is Very chaseable target.

 

[RidiculousMan]

Khushdil Vettori should open in absence of Fakhar

I was actually thinking Shaheen. Send him up as pinch hitter.

 

[Local.Dada]

10 runs short of my liking

Backing Pakistan to chase this

 

[Usman Chadda]

Man I sometimes wonder how guys like Khushdil play for their country.

Some special dua or something, quite sure. He has no talent for this sport and he is representing his country due to behind the scenes favors.

I would drop myself out of embarrassment honestly.

 

[JibranAnsari]

Glenn phillips loves pakistan , average of 82 and sr of 128 against them.

 

[Jazx]

These are the pacers we keep a proper spinner out for

Everyone was praising Abrar's spell but I don't think he did anything special when even Khushdil was turning it like that. Any good spinner would have taken 3-4 wickets on this track.

 

[Rana]

Haha Khushdil is such a loser

There were parchi parchi chants for that ball

You can’t afford this guy to have a sob off mid game!

 

[Shafi]

Parchi team. We'll not score even 200 on this pitch.

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

Glen Phillips looks like a WWE wrestler. I don’t follow WWE regularly but can’t recollect the name . Any WWE fan can help?

@shaz619 @BunnyRabbit

 

[sweep_shot]

Game is on balance.

320 is not much in Karachi.

 

[m.shah]

There were parchi parchi chants for that ball

Crowed being d***s

You can’t afford this guy to have a sob off mid game!

Can't tolerate this guy even Faheem out values him .

 

[Van_Sri]

321 is a Tough Target Advantage Kiwis

 

[Ahmed216]

I was actually thinking Shaheen. Send him up as pinch hitter.

Shaheen is another great option

 

[Asif321]

Seems Agha will open with Babar as Fakhar isn’t allowed

 

[sweep_shot]

321 is a Tough Target Advantage Kiwis

Not in Karachi. Karachi is generally a 300+ ground.

But, pressure of CT can be a factor.

 

[LordJames]

Khushdil Shah will score a hundred today at 150 SR

 

[Nado_]

Babar is due a good innings , can’t rely on Fakhar all the time . I don’t have high hopes for Saud even though he’s playing in his home ground he needs to show what he’s made of and attack their spinners.

 

[Nado_]

Khushdil Shah will score a hundred today at 150 SR

I have yet to see him play any innings of substance .

 

[Flat_Track_Bully]

Khushdil Shah will score a hundred today at 150 SR

He will score a brisk 20 runs at 150 SR.

 

[LordJames]

On a serious note, this is gettable in Karachi so let's see what happens here

 

[FearlessRoar]

Two players scoring centuries in a single innings in Champions Trophy:

• Virender Sehwag 126(104) & Sourav Ganguly 117*(109) vs England, 2002
• Chris Gayle 101(128) & Dwayne Bravo 112*(124) vs England, 2006
• Shane Watson 136*(132) & Ricky Ponting 111*(115) vs England, 2009
• Shakib Al Hasan 114(115) & Mahmudullah 102*(107) vs New Zealand, 2017
• Will Young 107(113) & Tom Latham 118*(104) vs Pakistan, 2025

 

[Local.Dada]

@shaz619 @BunnyRabbit

I know who John Cena is, don’t think it was him. Anyway maybe I am confusing with someone else.

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

There's no reason why they can't chase this down on flat deck with dew possibly coming into the game

 

[GLORY OF '92]

India or Australia would chase this vs NZ but we will choke even if we get in a good position

 

[Local.Dada]

There's no reason why they can't chase this down on flat deck with dew possibly coming into the game

Is this a flat deck though? Seems on the slower side. Even though 320 should be par.

 

[Bhaijaan]

I must say a very docile and lacklustre bowling and fielding effort from Pakistan in the last 10 overs. Needed to show more spirit that that. I understand it’s not easy to bowl death overs in subcontinent against set batters Oman good batting wicket like this but what about fielding, no excuses there for the lack of effort shown. This is not the kind of stuff I expect from
a tournament contender.

I hope the batters make up for these mistakes.

This is still doable.

Let’s go!

 

[GLORY OF '92]

There's no reason why they can't chase this down on flat deck with dew possibly coming into the game

Logically yes but we know how Pakistan handle pressure in ICC tournaments

 

[Usman Chadda]

Is this a flat deck though? Seems on the slower side. Even though 320 should be par.

We don’t have the batsmen to score this much against a quality attack.

Any other team, I actually would have backed them for an entertaining game.

 

[FearlessRoar]

Pakistan conceded 96 runs in the last 7 overs:

44th over: Abrar gave 16 runs
45th over: Rauf gave 16 runs
46th over: Naseem gave 9 runs
47th over: Shaheen gave 18 runs
48th over: Rauf gave 11 runs
49th over: Shaheen gave 12 runs
50th over: Rauf gave 14 runs

 

[sweep_shot]

Khushdil Shah will score a hundred today at 150 SR

I have him in my fantasy team. That would be awesome if he scores a century.

 

[adi_62941]

When you play your own friends and
man then there is no hope. Khushdil is rizwan’s man same as shadab and nawaz was babar’s man.
I mean this is not a team, this is friends and company. Highly insecure players.

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

I know who John Cena is, don’t think it was him. Anyway maybe I am confusing with someone else.

Not sure who you are thinking of but he is often compared to Cena because of his buff physique.

Cena even posted a picture of him on his Insta.

 

[FearlessRoar]

Highest 5th-wicket partnership for New Zealand in Champions Trophy:

136* - Nathan Astle & Craig McMillan vs USA at The Oval, 2004
125 – Tom Latham & Glenn Phillips vs PAK in Karachi, 2025 – TODAY
104 – Grant Elliott & Daniel Vettori vs PAK in Johannesburg, 2009

 

[Local.Dada]

We don’t have the batsmen to score this much against a quality attack.

Any other team, I actually would have backed them for an entertaining game.

Fakhar (if fit), Babar, Rizwan, Agha- that’s a solid line up for this chase.

 

[sweep_shot]

Why would you have this no-talent hack in your fantasy team?

There are 4 all-rounder slots. I filled those up with Phillips, Santner, Khushdil, and Agha.

 

[Bewal Express]

NZ looked well drilled and athletic. Our bowling is ok but against these batsman, it doesn't threaten. If the bowl doesn't turn we may still have a chance but this looks to beyond our reach with this batting line-up

 

[YousafTheBeast]

A lot of pressure on Fakhar, out of the 320 runs he’ll probably need to score 170 coming in at 5.

 

[batandballbattle]

I think the awful bowling effort in the last 10 has made the pitch look flatter than it actually is. It's by no means difficult for batting but there is still a bit of slowness in the surface. Captain Santner could have a big say in this game

 

[JibranAnsari]

For what,? To clear the dust of pitch

To.score 50(28)

 

[FearlessRoar]

Reports suggest that Fakhar will not open

 

[Usman Chadda]

This match is literally a repeat of the first Tri-Series game

 

[sweep_shot]

NZ looked well drilled and athletic. Our bowling is ok but against these batsman, it doesn't threaten. If the bowl doesn't turn we may still have a chance but this looks to beyond our reach with this batting line-up

They are favorites to win the CT after Aussies became depleted.

 

[Local.Dada]

Not sure who you are thinking of but he is often compared to Cena because of his buff physique.

Cena even posted a picture of him on his Insta.


View attachment 150990

I think you maybe right. I remember seeing this now, so may be that’s what was stuck in my head

 

[Cover Drive Six]

300 is quite easy to chase on this pitch due to the dew factor. Pakistan's batsmen simply needed to build partnerships instead of throwing away their wickets in panic.

 

[sweep_shot]

Pakistan should keep wickets and take it deep (without slowing down too much).

 

[boomboomcheema]

Cant believe this could be a thrashing three times in a row for Pakistan against NZ in just one month,Pakistan better put up a good performce today , Babar must perform even though looks unlikely.

 

[Flat_Track_Bully]

Is Fakhar fit to open?

 

[JibranAnsari]

Fakhar can bat 20 minutes after the start of the innings.

 

[Savak]

Pakistan couldn't capitalize on a good start with the ball. Pakistani pace bowling has been looking ordinary for quite some time now along with spin bowling. Very difficult with this bowling to win the trophy

When you have a weak pathetic spin bowling attack in the middle overs where they neither keep the runs down or take wickets then it is very easy to undo the good work by the opening bowlers.

The selectors and coaches who signed off on this team should be given the same treatment that Kirsten and Gillespie got by the PCB.

 

[Champ_Pal]

Haris Rauf went for 83 in his 10.

His spell could be the difference between winning and losing for Pakistan.

 

[mominsaigol]

Not sure who you are thinking of but he is often compared to Cena because of his buff physique.

Cena even posted a picture of him on his Insta.


View attachment 150990

John cena said that's him if he was from NZ and decided to become a cricketer.

That's some mad respect . I didn't even know cena was a cricket fan lol but apprantly he watches cricket alot.

 

[m.shah]

Glenn Philips against Shaheen
Balls 29
Runs 78
Sr 286

 

[Local.Dada]

Haris Rauf went for 83 in his 10.

His spell could be the difference between winning and losing for Pakistan.

Latham’s batting was worse. Could have scored 20 more after getting settled.

 

[Abdullah]

last 10 overs 113 runs

It looks bad- but all teams will get 95 on these wickets. The difference here was our fielding, Wickets being 6 runs, and phillips running.