A 29-year wait ends as Pakistan wins the toss and field against Kiwis in Champions Trophy opener

By Canadian Press on February 19, 2025.

KARACHI, Pakistan (AP) — Pakistan’s 29-year wait to host a major International Cricket Council tournament ended Wednesday when it won the toss and elected to field in the Champions Trophy opener against New Zealand.

Pakistan is the defending champion after beating archrival India in the final when the Champions Trophy was last played in 2017.

India will be playing all its group matches in the United Arab Emirates, including the marquee game of the group stage on Sunday against Pakistan, because its government didn’t allow the cricketers to travel to Pakistan.

The 1996 World Cup, co-hosted with India and Sri Lanka, was the last time Pakistan staged a major ICC event.

New Zealand is on a high and is quite familiar with the conditions at the newly upgraded Karachi stadium after winning the tri-nation series last week against Pakistan and South Africa.

Despite losing two frontline fast bowlers, Lockie Ferguson and Ben Sears, due to injuries, New Zealand has shaped up well for the Champions Trophy with all the top-order batters among runs. And the Black Caps spinners, led by Mitchell Santner’s left-arm spin, have contained the opposition well in the middle overs.

New Zealand also missed opening batter Rachin Ravindra for the opening game as the left-hander is still recovering from a blow on the forehead sustained during the tri-nation series opener at Lahore — one of the three cities hosting the Champions Trophy in Pakistan.

Pakistan fast bowler Haris Rauf, who missed the last two games of the tri-nation series because of a side strain, passed a fitness test and was recalled in place of allrounder Faheem Ashraf.

New Zealand, which won the inaugural edition of the tournament in 1998, has won all its previous three Champions Trophy games against Pakistan in 2000, 2006 and 2009.

Pakistan, New Zealand, Bangladesh and New Zealand are in Group A. Group B comprises England, South Africa, Australia and Afghanistan.

The top two teams in each group will qualify for the semifinals. The final is scheduled for March 9. If India qualifies for the final it will be played at Dubai, otherwise Lahore will host the championship decider.

___

Line-ups:

New Zealand: Will Young, Devon Conway, Kane Williamson, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham, Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner (captain), Nathan Smith, Matt Henry, Will O’Rourke.

Pakistan: Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Salman Ali Agha, Tayyab Tahir, Khushdil Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed.

___

AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

The Associated Press

21
-20