New Zealand’s Will Young etched his name in the history books by scoring the first century of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, guiding his team towards a competitive total after a shaky start against Pakistan in the tournament opener.
Facing a charged Pakistan pace attack at the National Stadium in Karachi, Young scored 107 off 113 balls before being dismissed by Naseem Shah in the 37th over.
Sent in to bat first, New Zealand found themselves in deep trouble as Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf wreaked havoc with the ball, reducing the Kiwis to 73 for 3 after an early burst. The dismissals of Devon Conway, Kane Williamson, and Daryl Mitchell put immense pressure on the middle order, leaving Young with the daunting task of rebuilding the innings.
Displaying remarkable composure, Young continued to play his game, regularly finding boundaries and keeping his side’s scoreboard ticking. He found an able partner in Tom Latham, and the duo stitched together a crucial partnership to pull New Zealand out of the rut.
As the innings progressed, Will Young eventually reached his century off 107 deliveries, not only notching his first ton against Pakistan but also recording the first century of the 2025 Champions Trophy. The 32-year-old, who was reportedly set to be dropped from the team in favor of Rachin Ravindra, sent a strong reminder of his class with composed and classy innings, giving New Zealand a selection headache ahead of their next game.
New Zealand will now look to capitalize on Will Young’s knock and set a challenging total for Pakistan.
Stay Connected with ProPakistani
Get the latest sports news, match updates, and player stories wherever you prefer.
Add ProPakistani to Preferred Sources and see more of our stories in Google Search and Top Stories.
