The much-anticipated return of an ICC tournament to Pakistan saw a packed National Stadium, but the home fans were left disappointed as New Zealand outclassed the hosts by 60 runs in the Champions Trophy 2025 opener. Centuries from Tom Latham (118*) and Will Young (107) powered the Black Caps to an imposing 320 before their bowlers dismantled Pakistan’s chase, handing them a tough defeat.

Latham & Young Anchor New Zealand’s Commanding Total

New Zealand, asked to bat first, had a shaky start as Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah found some early bounce but lacked lateral movement. Will Young capitalized on loose deliveries, scoring fluently off his pads, before Abrar Ahmed provided Pakistan a breakthrough by dismissing Devon Conway. Naseem then sent Kane Williamson back early, while Haris Rauf’s pace troubled Daryl Mitchell, reducing New Zealand to 73/3 by the 17th over.

Latham joined Young in a steadying act, adding 118 runs for the fourth wicket. Young’s composed knock, evenly split between front-foot and back-foot shots, highlighted his adaptability. Latham, confident against spin, played sweeps with ease and ran well between the wickets. The duo built their innings methodically, ensuring a strong finish.

Young reached his century off 107 balls, becoming only the fourth New Zealand batter to score a Champions Trophy ton. Latham accelerated later in his innings, bringing up his eighth ODI hundred in just 92 deliveries. Glenn Phillips provided the late flourish with a blistering 61 off 39 balls, smashing four sixes as New Zealand added 113 runs in the last 10 overs to finish at 320/5.

Pakistan’s Cautious Start Proves Costly

With Fakhar Zaman injured while fielding, Pakistan’s chase began on a poor note. The top order struggled, managing just 22/2 in the first 10 overs. Will O’Rourke removed Saud Shakeel and Mohammad Rizwan, the latter falling to an acrobatic catch by Phillips at backward point.

Zaman, limited in movement due to his injury, arrived at No. 4 but found scoring tough. Surprisingly, Pakistan failed to attack New Zealand’s spinners, allowing the required run rate to soar past eight per over. They consumed 75 dot balls in the first 17 overs, further hampering their momentum. Despite the pre-match concerns about dew, conditions remained favorable for New Zealand’s bowlers, who extracted twice as much spin as their Pakistani counterparts.

Late Fightback Falls Short

Zaman managed a few boundaries before being bowled by Michael Bracewell. Babar Azam reached a fifty, but his sluggish 64 at a strike rate of 71 put pressure on the middle order. Salman Ali Agha’s 42 off 28 and a spirited 69 off 49 from Khushdil Shah injected some late energy into the innings. However, Pakistan’s early defensive approach left them with too much to do.

O’Rourke and Mitchell Santner claimed three wickets each as New Zealand bowled out Pakistan for 260 in 47.2 overs, sealing a comprehensive 60-run victory.

Brief Scores:

New Zealand: 320/5 in 50 overs (Tom Latham 118*, Will Young 107; Naseem Shah 2-63)
Pakistan: 260 in 47.2 overs (Khushdil Shah 69, Babar Azam 64; Will O’Rourke 3-47, Mitchell Santner 3-66)
Result: New Zealand won by 60 runs