The Pakistan vs New Zealand match in the 2025 Champions Trophy marked Pakistan’s first ICC event hosting in 29 years. Captain Mohammad Rizwan won the toss and chose to bowl first at Karachi’s National Stadium. The tournament opener featured a spectacular air show by the Pakistan Air Force, which surprised some players. Pakistan welcomed pacer Haris Rauf back from injury, while New Zealand included Matt Henry in their lineup. Rizwan acknowledged the pressure of being defending champions, while New Zealand’s Mitchell Santner focused on adapting to the Karachi conditions amid challenges from dew later in the match.
The Pakistan vs New Zealand Champions Trophy 2025 match marked the end of Pakistan’s 29-year hiatus from hosting an ICC event. Pakistan’s captain, Mohammad Rizwan, won the toss and chose to bowl first at Karachi’s National Stadium on Wednesday. As both teams made their way onto the field for their inaugural clash in the tournament, the Pakistan Air Force put on an aerial display to celebrate the launch of the prestigious ICC Champions Trophy.
New Zealand’s opening partnership of Will Young and Devon Conway took to the pitch as aircraft soared overhead, with some players appearing startled by the air show.
The reactions of New Zealand 🇳🇿 players and the Pakistani audience to the stunning Air Force performance during the opening match of Champions Trophy 2025 #ChampionsTrophy2025#PakvsNZ
— Mursaleen wafai (@MursaleenWafai) February 19, 2025
The PAF air show was organized by the Pakistan Cricket Board as part of the opening ceremony, which took place over several days at various venues.
Stunning air show by the Pakistan Air Force at National Bank Stadium Karachi. pic.twitter.com/iHYhzFtnbc
— (@CallMeSheri1) February 19, 2025
Pakistan Air Force display at National Bank Stadium, Karachi.pic.twitter.com/I8AqTBtAFw
— junaiz (@dhillow_) February 19, 2025
PAF jets showcasing an aerial performance before the Champions Trophy opener. pic.twitter.com/sNNAFA30OC
— Salman (@SalmanAsif2007) February 19, 2025
Pakistan included Haris Rauf in this match after the fast bowler made a timely recovery from injury. In contrast, the Kiwis brought Matt Henry into their squad. Both teams are part of Group A alongside India and Bangladesh.
“We will bowl first. Based on the last few matches, the dew tends to arrive later, so we want to take advantage of that. As defending champions, there’s a bit more pressure, but we’ll approach it like the previous tri-series. Playing in Pakistan is also exciting. Haris Rauf is fit again, so he’s back in,” said Rizwan after winning the toss.
New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner acknowledged that the dew will impact their performance later on, complicating their batting efforts.
“Dew does come into play later, but we have a job to accomplish with the bat. It looks like a good wicket. We’ve got a solid mix of experience and newcomers, and we are playing some good cricket. We’ve been fortunate to face these guys both at home and away, so we know each other quite well. The key is adapting to the conditions here in Karachi. While the injuries we’ve faced are unfortunate, we are confident in the squad we’ve assembled. Matt Henry is back in for us,” Santner commented.
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