Champions Trophy: Pakistan’s ‘Poor Death Over Execution’ Propelled NZ’s ‘Unexpected’ 320-Run Total, Says Captain Rizwan

Karachi: Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan stated that his side did not expect New Zealand to score 320 runs in the first innings, having gotten off to a solid start. He highlighted that poor execution in the death overs led to their 60-run loss in the opening game of the 2025 Champions Trophy, played at the National Bank Stadium.

Despite losing two early wickets, New Zealand showed resilience and tactical acumen. Their top order, led by Will Young (107) and Tom Latham (118*), took the fight to the hosts. After Young’s dismissal, Glenn Phillips proved to be the game-changer, accelerating the Kiwis’ run-rate at a strike rate of 156.41. He smashed three boundaries and four sixes to score 61 runs off 39 deliveries.

“I think they made a very good target, we didn’t expect they would get 320. We thought around 260 when we took early wickets. The Will Young-Latham partnership was crucial. We tried, but they played very smartly and that’s why they got to that total.

Also Read: New Zealand Thrash Pakistan by 60 Runs in ICC Champions Trophy Opener

The pitch was not easy to bat early on, but Will Young and Latham’s innings were crucial. Our execution in the end overs was not good, and that’s why they made that score,” said Rizwan in the post-match presentation.

Pakistan’s Chase Falls Short

Pakistan’s chase failed to live up to the hype of the home crowd, who were watching an ICC tournament game on home soil for the first time since 1996. After the early dismissals of Saud Shakeel and Mohammad Rizwan, the home team struggled. Babar Azam’s lackluster innings saw him score just 64 runs off 90 balls, leaving the hosts in a tough position.

This defeat puts Pakistan in a precarious position ahead of their high-stakes encounter against arch-rivals India. As defending champions, they will need to address their batting concerns quickly, particularly their lack of intent and inability to build momentum early in the innings. With Bangladesh also in their group, the road to the semi-finals has become significantly tougher, and any further slip-ups could prove costly.

Rizwan Downplays Pressure for India Encounter

Rizwan mentioned that his team would not take any added pressure for the crucial tie against India and would treat it as a normal game.

“We lost momentum twice—first in the death overs and then in the powerplay with the bat. Losing Fakhar Zaman [as opener] was crucial. We didn’t want to put pressure on ourselves by thinking we are defending champions. This match is gone, and the next match is another normal match for us,” he added.