New Zealand opener Will Young’s shot led to Fakhar Zaman injuring his lower back while fielding. He was briefly replaced but returned after two hours, missing his chance to open the batting as Pakistan chased 321 runs. On his return, Fakhar struggled visibly, slumping between overs and needing painkillers, ultimately scoring 24 off 41 balls before being bowled out. His performance was hampered by a previous injury to Saim Ayub, who is sidelined with a fractured ankle. Despite fitness issues, Haris Rauf played, and the match marked the return of ICC tournament cricket to Pakistan since 1996.
New Zealand opener Will Young elegantly struck Shaheen Afridi through the covers, successfully evading the infield as Zaman sprinted to chase the ball. He managed to stop it before relaying it to Babar Azam, who returned it to the keeper. However, Zaman immediately seemed to experience some discomfort in his lower back or side. He indicated the need for a replacement and exited the field with the physio, although he walked back to the dressing room unaided.
“Fakhar Zaman is currently undergoing assessment for a muscular sprain, and further updates will be provided in due course,” the PCB stated shortly thereafter.
Fakhar returned to the field after spending just over two hours off, which meant he couldn’t open Pakistan’s chase of 321 runs. Saud Shakeel opened alongside Babar Azam, with Fakhar only stepping in after the dismissal of Mohammed Rizwan in the tenth over. He had missed out on batting opportunities during the fielding restrictions, despite his power-hitting reputation being potentially beneficial for Pakistan.
However, it became clear from the start that he would struggle to make a significant contribution. He appeared unsteady and was clearly having difficulty running between the wickets. On several occasions, he fell to his knees between overs, necessitating attention from the team doctor and physio with painkillers. Despite his efforts to play aggressive shots required by the escalating asking rate, it turned into a challenging inning for him. He scored 24 off 41 balls before attempting to sweep Michael Bracewell—a shot he had used throughout the innings—but missed entirely, resulting in his stumps being shattered.
Pakistan had already been affected by Saim Ayub’s injury in similar circumstances, which ultimately ruled him out of the Champions Trophy. During a Test against South Africa, he pursued a ball near the boundary and twisted his ankle, leading to a fracture that will keep him sidelined until at least mid-March. Fakhar, who was not in Pakistan’s earlier ODI plans, returned to the squad as Ayub’s replacement and made an impressive comeback, scoring 84 off 69 and 41 off 28 in his first two matches back.
This match marked the return of ICC tournament cricket to Pakistan since 1996, drawing substantial crowds outside the National Stadium in Karachi in the hours leading up to the start. The opening ceremony was graced by Pakistan’s president Asif Ali Zardari, and featured an air force fly-past parade following the toss, which Pakistan won, opting to have New Zealand bat first.