The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 began with heartbreak for the hosts, as New Zealand handed Pakistan a resounding defeat in the opening match at Karachi Stadium. Defending their title at home, Pakistan’s campaign is off to a rocky start, with glaring weaknesses exposed in both batting and bowling departments.
New Zealand’s Commanding Total: A Tale of Missed Opportunities!
Batting first, New Zealand showcased their class, posting a formidable total of 320 runs. Will Young and Tom Latham led the charge with sensational centuries, dismantling Pakistan’s bowling attack with ease.
Despite a few tight overs in the powerplay, Pakistan’s bowlers lost control as the innings progressed. The middle overs, where spinners are supposed to apply the brakes, became a free scoring phase for the Kiwis. With Abrar Ahmed as the only regular spinner, Pakistan’s management opted to rely on part time options like Salman Ali Agha and Khushdil Shah, a gamble that backfired. Neither could offer control or breakthroughs, allowing New Zealand to build partnerships and accelerate smoothly.
In the death overs, the fast bowling trio of Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Haris Rauf looked completely out of ideas. Shaheen’s signature swing was missing, Naseem Shah struggled with his line and length, and Haris Rauf’s pace, though threatening, lacked the accuracy to trouble the Kiwi batters. Instead of yorkers and slower balls, Pakistan’s quicks fed New Zealand a steady diet of hittable deliveries, resulting in a late innings onslaught that took the total beyond 300.
A Shaky Chase: Pakistan’s Top-Order Troubles!
Chasing 320, Pakistan’s batting order already looked questionable, and the reality was worse. The management’s decision to open with Saud Shakeel and Babar Azam, despite neither being a natural aggressor in white ball cricket, turned out to be disastrous. The duo managed just 22 runs in the powerplay, with Saud Shakeel, in particular, looking completely out of place, failing to rotate strike or find boundaries.
Babar Azam’s approach was equally frustrating. While he is undeniably one of the best batters in the world, his painfully slow half century in this match felt out of sync with the demands of a high pressure chase. Instead of anchoring with intent, Babar seemed stuck in survival mode, which only increased the required rate and pushed pressure onto the middle order. This is a recurring problem with Babar’s ODI approach, when the situation demands aggression, his inability to shift gears often puts Pakistan on the back foot, and once again, the team paid the price.
Rizwan’s Dismissal: The Turning Point?
Mohammad Rizwan, Pakistan’s most reliable batter of late, looked in fine touch until his dismissal, a stunning diving catch by Glenn Phillips that epitomized New Zealand’s sharp fielding and match awareness. Once Rizwan fell, the writing was on the wall.
Fakhar Zaman’s Injury and the Questionable Tactics:
When Fakhar Zaman, nursing an injury, was surprisingly sent in at No. 4, the confusion in Pakistan’s tactics became clear. With the required rate climbing, Pakistan needed a steady partnership, not an injured hitter walking in under pressure. A more logical move would have been to send Salman Ali Agha, who could have anchored the innings alongside Babar, allowing Fakhar and Khushdil Shah to provide the finishing punch later.
Middle-Order Fightback:
A Glimmer of Hope, To their credit, Salman and Khushdil tried to stage a fightback, playing with positive intent. Salman’s crisp stroke play and ability to find gaps kept the scoreboard moving, while Khushdil Shah brought some much needed aggression, launching a couple of big hits to revive faint hopes of a comeback. But with the asking rate spiraling, their efforts were too little, too late.
Questions for Pakistan: What’s the Plan?
The defeat raises some serious concerns about Pakistan’s preparation and strategy. On paper, this team looked undercooked, with no clear plan for either their batting order or bowling rotations.
Why was Fakhar Zaman, visibly injured, forced into a role that required running and rebuilding?
Why was there no reliable second spinner to support Abrar Ahmed?
How long can Pakistan’s fast-bowling trio of Shaheen, Naseem, and Haris continue leaking runs in the middle and death overs without adjustments?
A Critical Crossroads: Can Pakistan Survive?
With this opening loss, Pakistan’s path to the semi-finals has become significantly tougher. They are now in a must win situation for their remaining group-stage matches. The management and captain Mohammad Rizwan need to address the obvious tactical flaws, rethink the batting order, strengthen the spin attack, and ensure the fast bowlers return to their wicket taking roles.
For Pakistani fans, there is still hope, after all, cricket is a game of glorious uncertainties. But unless Pakistan learns quickly from this defeat and plays with more clarity and intent, the Champions Trophy 2025 might slip away sooner than expected.
Author: Sufian Shahid
