Pressure on Pakistan as Kiwis win Champions opener

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Pressure on Pakistan as Kiwis win Champions opener

New Zealand have made an impressive start to the Champions Trophy with a comfortable 60-run victory over hosts and holders Pakistan in the tournament’s opening match.

Will Young struck 107 and Tom Latham smashed an unbeaten 118 to help New Zealand overcome a careful start and post a commanding 5-320 after being put into bat at the National Stadium in Karachi..

Glenn Phillips chipped in with a brisk 61 as New Zealand posted a challenging total having been put in to bat.

“I think Pakistan bowled pretty well…but the way Young and Tommy were able to rotate (strike) and get the odd boundary, that partnership set us a very good platform,” New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner said.

Pakistan’s chase never really started, being 2-22 after ten overs. Fakhar Zaman was unable to open having been off the field for some time with a rib muscle injury sustained early in New Zealand’s innings and the reshaped order struggled against tight bowling and superb fielding.

Babar Azam made 64 but took 90 ****** to do so while Fakhar, when he batted, was struggling even to run a single. He made 24 off off 41.

Although Khushdil Shah (69 off 49) and Salman Ali Agha (42 off 28) provided some late hitting Pakistan were always well behind the rate and were all out for 260 in 47.2 overs.

Santner and Will O’Rourke each took three wickets while Michael Bracewell’s ten overs went for 38 and Matt Henry took 2-25 off 7.2 overs.

By then the initially raucous crowd was silent, hushed by the disappointment on what was a landmark day for Pakistan as they hosted a major cricket tournament for the first time in 29 years.

They now go to Dubai to play arch rivals India knowing defeat, given the damage this loss inflicted on their net run rate, could knock them out of their own tournament. The match is in India due to political tensions between the nations.

With Fakhar likely to be absent the pressure on their misfiring batting line-up is considerable.

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