Champions Trophy: New Zealand beat Pakistan by 60 runs

KARACHI: New Zealand beat Pakistan by 60 runs in the Champions Trophy opening match at Karachi’s National Bank Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.

The host team Pakistan had chosen to field after winning the toss in the first match of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Champions Trophy. Captain Mohammad Rizwan had assured that the team has learnt from the mistakes made in the tri-series, and they will try to dismiss New Zealand for the lowest possible score.

However, New Zealand posted a formidable total of 320 for 5 in their allotted 50 overs, powered by centuries from Will Young and Tom Latham. 

Staring the chase, Pakistan suffered early blow with opener Saud Shakeel dismissed at just 8 runs.

Opening batter Saud Shakeel was dismissed for 6 runs off 19 balls while skipper Mohammad Rizwan could score only 3 runs before being dismissed by Will O’Rourke.

Rizwan was followed Fakhar Zaman, who was dismissed by Michael Bracewell for 24 off 41 balls.

In the 30th over, Salman Ali Agha tossed the ball bowled by Nathan Smith to the hands of Michael Bracewell. He walked back after a quick-fire 42 off 28.

An over later, Tayyab Tahir joined his fallen colleagues after scoring just one run off five balls.

Shaheens faced another major blow just two overs later, when Babar Azam was bowled out by Mitchell Santner. He scored the second highest runs for Pakistani in the match (64/90).

Shaheen Afridi (14/13) and Khushdil Shah (69/49) were dismissed in 40th and 43rd overs, respectively.

Similarly, Haris Rauf (19/10) and Naseem Shah were dismissed in 46th and 47th overs, respectively.

New Zealand bowled out all the Pakistani players in 47.2 overs.

New Zealand innings

Will Young and Tom Latham hit sparkling centuries to guide New Zealand to 320-5.

Tom Latham hit an unbeaten 104-ball 118 while opener Young scored 107 from 113 balls as New Zealand — sent in to bat by Pakistan — made the most of a flat National Stadium pitch.

The eight-nation event was launched with country’s Air Force flying over the stadium to mark the occasion as thousands of fans, including President Asif Zardari, took their seats on a historic day.

On the field, Young and Latham revived the innings from 73-3 with a 118-run fourth wicket stand, helping their team overcome the early loss of Devon Conway (10), Kane Williamson (1) and Daryl Mitchell (10).

Young hit 12 boundaries and a six in his fourth one-day international century before holing out to Naseem Shah in the 38th over.

Latham and Glenn Phillips, who made an aggrssive 39-ball 61, gave the innings more impetus as New Zealand smashed 113 in the last 10 overs and 64 in the last five.

Latham hit 10 boundaries and three sixes in his eighth one-day hundred while Phillips’s robust knock had four sixes and three boundaries.

Fast bowler Naseem Shah was the best Pakistan bowler with 2-63 but fellow pacers Haris Rauf finished with 2-83 and Shaheen Afridi conceded 68 in 10 wicket-less overs each.

Player of the match

Tom Latham was announced player of the match for his sparkling century.

HUM Network CEO Duraid Qureshi conferred upon him the player of the match award.

The Kiwis’ wicketkeeper hit an unbeaten 104-ball 118, which played crucial role in leading New Zealand to triumph.

Played with a strike rate of 113.46, Latham hit 10 fours and three sixes.

Match Preview

While it’s just the first match of the tournament, it will be the third time the men in green have clashed with New Zealand this month. The two Champions Trophy squads have now shared the field a fair amount of time. And so far, Pakistan haven’t been able to solve to the Kiwi puzzle.

In their first outing against New Zealand, on February 8, Pakistan’s bowlers struggled, allowing the Kiwis to score 330 runs, while only taking six wickets. Glenn Phillips was the standout batter, as he scored 106 runs off 74 deliveries. Shaheen Shah Afridi had the most dismissals with five. Pakistan simply weren’t able to handle the pressure, with New Zealand’s bowlers holding the men in green down to just 252 runs. Matt Henry and Mitchell Santner each took three wickets, while Michael Bracewell had two, and Phillips had one. Fakhar Zaman had the highest score for Pakistan with 84.

New Zealand won by 78 runs.

Also read: New Zealand’s Ferguson out of Champions Trophy with foot injury

Both teams would then go on to beat South Africa and face each other again in the tri-nation series finals.

However, the result would be the same as their first outing, with New Zealand comfortably beating the men in green. Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Agha had 88 runs together off 120 deliveries, the largest partnership of the game.

But, that didn’t stop Will O’Rourke from dismantling the Pakistani batting line-up. O’Rourke had four wickets, while Michael Bracewell and Mitchell Santner each had two, and Nathan Smith and Jacob Duffy each had one.

Pakistan would be held to only 242 runs, a score that was easily surpassed with a couple half centuries from Daryl Mitchell and Tom Latham, as well as 48 runs from Devon Conway. Naseem Shah had two wickets, while Salman Agha, Abrar Ahmed, and Shaheen each had one.

Also read: Recap of all Champions Trophy warm up matches