Pakistan started with a win in the Champions Trophy by defeating New Zealand by 60 runs. Interestingly, New Zealand and Pakistan have faced each other four times in the Champions Trophy, in which the Kiwis have won all four matches. This is the fourth victory of this team over Pakistan. Earlier, the team had defeated Pakistan in 2000 (04 wickets), 2006 (51 runs) and 2009 (05 wickets).

Pakistan team was restricted to 260 runs.

In this match played at the National Stadium in Karachi, New Zealand scored 320 runs for five wickets in 50 overs with centuries from Tom Latham and Will Young. In response, the entire team of defending champion Pakistan was all out for 260 runs in 47.2 overs. Khushdil Shah and Babar Azam scored half-centuries for Pakistan, but it was not enough to give the team victory.

Babar and Khushdil's hard work went in vain.

Chasing the target, Pakistan did not have a good start and lost three wickets at a score of 69 runs. Babar Azam scored 64 runs off 90 balls, but his innings were very slow, which increased the pressure on the batsmen to increase the run rate. Khushdil hit some shots in the end, but he too was dismissed after scoring 69 runs off 49 balls with the help of 10 fours and a six. For Pakistan, apart from Babar and Khushdil, Salman Aga scored 24 runs, Saud Shakeel scored 6, Mohammad Rizwan scored 3, Tayyid Tahir scored 1, Shaheen Afridi scored 14, Naseem Shah scored 13 and Haris Rauf scored 19 runs.

Century innings of Will Young and Tom Latham

Earlier, New Zealand set a challenging target in front of Pakistan with the help of centuries from Will Young and Tom Latham and a half-century from Glenn Phillips. Young and Latham shared a century partnership for the fourth wicket which helped New Zealand recover their innings. Young was dismissed after scoring 107 runs off 113 balls with the help of 12 fours and a six, while Tom Latham returned unbeaten after scoring 118 runs off 104 balls with the help of 10 fours and three sixes.