Pakistan’s preparations for the Champions Trophy 2025 have suffered a significant blow, with the team losing the final match of the tri-series against New Zealand by 5 wickets. The Pakistani team played three matches in the series, including the final, but managed to win only one of them. They lost both matches against New Zealand. In the final match played at the National Stadium in Karachi, the Pakistani team was bowled out for 242 runs in 49.3 overs while batting first. The Kiwi team achieved this target in 45.2 overs.
Need for Improvement in Fielding
Mohammad Rizwan, the captain of the Pakistani team, made a surprising statement after the loss, saying that they had decided to bat first after winning the toss because they thought it wouldn’t be easy to score runs on the pitch. He credited the Kiwi bowlers for making it difficult for them. Rizwan stated that after losing the first three wickets quickly, he and Salman were trying to build a partnership to take the score to 260 runs, but he lost his wicket at the wrong time. He emphasized that the team needs to improve its fielding, citing it as an area where they need to work on. While Abrar performed well in the field, other players need to step up to match his level.
Champions Trophy Schedule
The Pakistani team will face New Zealand in their first match of the Champions Trophy, which starts on February 19. The match will be played at the National Stadium in Karachi. Given their losses to the Kiwi team in the tri-series, the Pakistani players’ confidence might be low. The Kiwi team’s victory in the final match of the tri-series was largely due to their bowlers and batsmen like Tom Latham and Daryl Mitchell, who played crucial roles.
