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The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 kicks off with an exciting opening match between Pakistan and New Zealand on February 19, 2025 at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi. This highly anticipated clash marks the beginning of a tournament that showcases some of the best cricketing talent globally.
Both teams come into this match with contrasting recent performances. New Zealand enter the tournament on a high after winning all their matches in a recent ODI tri-series, which included victories over Pakistan and South Africa. Their confidence is bolstered by a balanced squad led by captain Mitchell Santner, featuring key players like Kane Williamson and Devon Conway.
Conversely, Pakistan will seek redemption after struggling in the same tri-series, where they lost twice to New Zealand, including the final. Captain Mohammad Rizwan will look to rally his team in front of a home crowd eager for a strong start.
Match Details: ICC Champions Trophy 2025, Match 1
- Date and Time: February 19, 02:30 pm (IST)/ 09:00 am (GMT)/ 02:00 pm (Local)
- Venue: National Bank Stadium, Karachi
National Bank Stadium Pitch Report:
The National Bank Stadium has undergone renovations, resulting in a fresh pitch that is expected to offer assistance to both seamers and spinners. Historically, first-innings scores around 260-270 are common in Karachi, but with the quality of batting on display from both teams, a higher score could be anticipated if conditions allow. Both teams may opt to bowl first upon winning the toss to assess conditions better and put pressure on their opponents early on.
PAK vs NZ Dream11 Prediction Picks:
- Wicketkeepers: Devon Conway, Mohammad Rizwan
- Batters: Kane Williamson, Babar Azam, Daryl Mitchell, Fakhar Zaman
- All-rounders: Salman Agha, Mitchell Santner, Glenn Phillips
- Bowlers: Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf
PAK vs NZ Dream11 Prediction Captain and Vice-Captain:
- Choice 1: Devon Conway (c), Fakhar Zaman (vc)
- Choice 2: Babar Azam (c), Kane Williamson (vc)
PAK vs NZ Dream11 Prediction Backups:
Nathan Smith, Matt Henry, Kamran Ghulam, Faheem Ashraf
Also READ: New Zealand pacer Lockie Ferguson ruled out of Champions Trophy 2025; replacement announced
PAK vs NZ Dream11 Team for today’s match (February 19, 09:00 am GMT):
Squads:
New Zealand: Devon Conway, Kane Williamson, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner (c), Nathan Smith, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, William ORourke, Ben Sears, Michael Bracewell, Will Young, Mark Chapman
Pakistan: Mohammad Rizwan (c), Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Tayyab Tahir, Faheem Ashraf, Khushdil Shah, Salman Ali Agha, Usman Khan, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi
