The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 will get underway this week. Hosts Pakistan shall be going through New Zealand within the first sport of the event. The sport is scheduled to be performed on the Nationwide Stadium in Karachi on Wednesday (February 19).
The sport takes place simply over every week after Pakistan and New Zealand locked horns in opposition to one another within the ultimate of the ODI tri-series. New Zealand thrashed Pakistan by 5 wickets to clinch the sequence. Earlier through the league stage too, New Zealand had inflicted a heavy defeat on Pakistan, beating them by 78 runs.
With New Zealand and Pakistan now all set to tackle one another within the Champions Trophy opener, right here is the match preview.
PAK vs NZ Match Preview- Match 1, ICC Champions Trophy 2025:
PAK vs NZ Date and Venue:
The upcoming PAK vs NZ ODI shall be performed on Wednesday (February 19) on the Nationwide Stadium in Karachi. The match shall be performed from 02:30 PM (IST).
Squads:
Pakistan:
Mohammad Rizwan (c), Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Tayyab Tahir, Faheem Ashraf, Khushdil Shah, Salman Ali Agha, Usman Khan, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi
New Zealand:
Mitchell Santner (c), Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Will O’Rourke, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Nathan Smith, Kane Williamson, Will Younger, Jacob Duffy
PAK vs NZ key battles:
Devon Conway vs Shaheen Afridi:
The onus shall be on Devon Conway and Shaheen Afridi to present their respective groups a superb begin with the bat and ball respectively. The battle between Conway and Afridi may very effectively set the tone for the rest of the match.
Conway regarded in sensible contact through the tri-series. After lacking the primary sport of the tri-series, he impressed with the bat within the subsequent two video games. In his first sport of the sequence, he scored 97 runs in opposition to South Africa earlier than scoring 48 runs in opposition to Pakistan within the ultimate. Just lately, he additionally scored 66 runs in opposition to Afghanistan within the warm-up sport.
With Conway in good kind, Pakistan shall be counting on their tempo spearhead Afridi to take his wicket. Afridi can hassle any batsman with the brand new ball and he shall be eager to win the battle in opposition to Conway.
Kane Williamson vs Abrar Ahmed:
Kane Williamson was additionally in good kind through the tri-series. The previous New Zealand captain completed the sequence because the second-highest run-scorer, scoring 225 runs with the assistance of a century and a fifty.
He can single-handedly bat Pakistan out of the sport. The Males in Inexperienced shall be hoping that their spin spearhead Abrar Ahmed manages to win his battle in opposition to Williamson.
Mohammad Rizwan vs Mitchell Santner:
Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan shall be eager to guide his group from the entrance in his first ICC event as a captain. Rizwan was in good kind through the tri-series, scoring 171 runs in 3 video games.
Rizwan can win the sport single-handedly and the onus shall be on his New Zealand counterpart Mitchell Santner to cease him. Santner picked up 5 wickets within the tri-series and shall be eyeing Rizwan’s prized scalp through the upcoming sport.
PAK vs NZ Key Gamers
PAK – Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Rizwan, Salman Agha, and Shaheen Afridi would be the key gamers for Pakistan.
NZ – Kane Williamson, Devon Conway, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Santner, and William ORourke would be the key gamers for New Zealand.
PAK vs NZ Climate And Pitch Report:
The upcoming PAK vs NZ match is unlikely to be interrupted by climate situations as there isn’t a forecast for rain. The temperature shall be hovering within the 20s all through the sport. Speaking concerning the pitch, it’s anticipated to help the batsmen greater than the bowlers.
Conclusion:
New Zealand lately beat Pakistan twice within the tri-series and shall be fancying their possibilities of beating them once more. Alternatively, Pakistan shall be determined to show issues round and beat the Black Caps to begin their marketing campaign on a superb be aware.
