New Zealand begin Champions Trophy with comfortable win against Pakistan (Image Credit:- X)

New Zealand beat host Pakistan by 60 runs in ICC Champions Trophy opening match played at National Stadium , Karachi. After setting 321 run target New Zealand bowled out Pakistan for 260 runs in 47.2 overs.

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Pakistan captain Mohammed Rizwan won the toss and put New Zealand in to bat. They lost opener Devon Conway (10 runs from 17 balls) , Kane Williamson (1 run from 2 balls) and Daryl Mitchell (10 runs from 24 balls) cheaply.

Tom Latham and Will Young hit centuries for Kiwis (Image Credit:- X)

Centuries from the opener Will Young (107 runs from 113 balls) , Tom Latham (118* runs from 104 balls) and Glenn Philips quick fire 61* runs from 39 balls took New Zealand to 320/5 in their 50 overs.

Tom Latham added 118 runs with Will Young for the fourth wicket and 125 runs with Glenn Philips for the fifth wicket.

Naseem Shah (2/63 in 10 overs) , Haris Rauf (2/83 in 10 overs) and Abrar Ahmed (1/47 in 10 overs) are the wicket takers for Pakistan.

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Pakistan started badly in a run chase of 321 by loosing Saud Shakeel (6 runs from 19 balls) and Mohammed Rizwan (3 runs from 14 balls) for just 22 runs in first powerplay. Pacer Will O’Rourke dismissed both of them.

Babar Azam (64 runs from 90 balls) and Fakhar Zaman (24 runs from 41 balls) put together short 47 run partnership for the third wicket before Bracewell clean bowled Fakhar Zaman. Babar Azam then with Salman Agha (42 runs from 28 balls) who played an attacking knock added 58 runs for the fourth wicket.

Khushdil Shah hit 69 runs from 49 balls (Image Credit:- X)

Pakistan lost wickets at regular intervals and they were unable to build big partnerships in their chase. Khushdil Shah fights with his knock of 69 runs from 49 balls but pacer Will O’Rourke dismissed him in the 44^th over and curtail Pakistan chances.

Will O’Rourke (3/47 in 9 overs) , Mitchell Santner (3/66 in 10 overs) , Matt Henry (2/25 in 7.2 overs) , Nathan Smith (1/20 in 2 overs) and Michael Bracewell (1/38 in 10 overs) are the wicket takers for New Zealand.

Tom Latham named Player of the Match for his unbeaten knock of 118 (Image Credit:- X)

Player of the Match:- Tom Latham (118* runs from 104 balls)

Next Match (20/02/25):- India vs Bangladesh at Dubai , 02:30 PM