Hosts Pakistan meet New Zealand in Champions Trophy opener: Preview
What's the story
The much-awaited ICC Champions Trophy is just around the corner. The tournament opener will see Pakistan take on New Zealand on Tuesday (February 19) at the National Stadium in Karachi . These two sides recently met twice in an ODI tri-series on Pakistan soil. The Kiwis emerged winners on both occassions. Here is the preview of the series opener.
Match forecast
Weather and pitch conditions for the match
The weather for the match looks clear, with temperatures expected to remain in the early 20s in the first half of the match and fall below 20 degrees Celsius after sunset. The pitch is expected to be good for batters and spinners, especially in the first innings. However, spinners may have a tough time in the second innings due to dew. The match will be live televised on Star Sports Network while Jiostar will provide the live streaming (2:30pm IST).
Past encounters
Head-to-head records
According to ESPNcricinfo, Pakistan and New Zealand have clashed in 118 ODIs to date. Pakistan have won 61 matches as opposed to New Zealand's 53, with one match being tied and three games producing no results. As mentioned, the Kiwis recently beat the Men in Green twice. Overall, Pakistan have 22 wins and only eight defeats against NZ in home ODIs. Meanwhile, Pakistan have won each of their three CT games against NZ.
Team lineups
Probable XIs for Pakistan and New Zealand
Pakistan Probable XI: Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (c & wk), Salman Agha, Tayyab Tahir, Khushdil Shah, Haris Rauf, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Abrar Ahmed. New Zealand Probable XI: Will Young, Devon Conway, Kane Williamson, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham (wk), Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner (c), Matt Henry, Jacob Duffy, William ORourke.
Player duels
Player showdowns to watch out for
The match promises to be a battle of some fierce players. One such battle will be between Devon Conway and Shaheen Afridi, with the former's aggressive approach coming up against the latter's wicket-taking ability. Another key battle is expected between Kane Williamson and Haris Rauf, with Williamson spearheading New Zealand's batting attack in difficult conditions while Rauf looking to get him out early.
Stats
Here are the key performers
Fakhar Zaman, who recently made a comeback to international cricket, owns 1,053 ODI runs against NZ at 65.81. Shaheen Afridi has claimed 21 wickets across nine ODI games since 2024. This period has seen Haris Rauf claim 14 wickets across nine ODIs. With 1,392 runs at 49.71, Daryl Mitchell is NZ's most successful ODI batter since 2023. Matt Henry has claimed 40 wickets in this period at 24.85.