Rourke star

ICC Champions Trophy: New Zealand opened their ICC Champions Trophy 2025 campaign with a commanding 60-run victory over defending champions Pakistan at the National Bank Stadium, exposing familiar frailties in Pakistan’s batting lineup.

The result not only extended New Zealand’s dominance over Pakistan in the tournament, with a 4-0 head-to-head record, but also left the hosts facing an uphill battle in a tough Group A, where only two teams will progress to the semi-finals.

Despite losing the toss and being sent in to bat under conditions expected to favor the chasing side, New Zealand showed resilience and tactical acumen. Their top order, led by Will Young (107) and Tom Latham (118*), countered Pakistan’s early swing threat with measured stroke play.