Pakistan’s defence of the Champions Trophy crown got off to the worst possible start, as the home side suffered a heavy defeat against New Zealand in the opening Group A clash which leaves them in a precarious position on the points table after just one game.
Tom Latham and Will Young led the charge for New Zealand, both smashing centuries, while Glenn Phillips tore into Pakistan’s bowling attack, powering the visitors to a daunting 320-run total. In response, Pakistan looked far from the assured side that chased down a tough target against South Africa last week, crumbling under pressure. Only Babar Azam and Salman Ali Agha provided some resistance, while Khushdil Shah’s late cameo entertained the Karachi crowd it never seriously threatened the target.
Pakistan’s defeat means that the winner of tomorrow’s India vs Bangladesh fixture will leapfrog them in the Group A points table, putting their Champions Trophy defence in serious jeopardy. With arch-rivals India up next, Mohammad Rizwan’s men must deliver a significantly improved performance if they are to keep their semi-final hopes alive.
| Rank | Team | M | W | L | T | N/R | PT | NRR | Form | Next Matches |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Zealand | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | +1.20 | W | vs Bangladesh, India |
| 2 | Pakistan | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1.20 | L | vs India, Bangladesh |
| 3 | Bangladesh | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | vs India, New Zealand, Pakistan |
| 4 | India | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | vs Bangladesh, Pakistan, New Zealand |
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