Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 06:40pm on 19 Feb 2025,Wednesday Sports
Pakistan’s bid to defend their title in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 suffered a major blow as they lost to New Zealand by 60 runs in the tournament opener. Batting first, New Zealand posted a formidable 320/5, thanks to centuries from Will Young (107) and Tom Latham (118). Pakistan's chase faltered, with only Khushdil Shah’s 69 and Babar Azam’s 64 offering any resistance. Despite a late surge, Pakistan were bowled out for 260, leaving their hopes of advancing in the tournament hanging by a thread. Pakistan’s net run rate has taken a significant hit.
