Thu Feb 20 07:39:06 UTC 2025: ## Pakistan Stumbles in Champions Trophy Opener, Crushing Defeat Against New Zealand

**Karachi, Pakistan –** Defending champions Pakistan suffered a humiliating 60-run defeat against New Zealand in their ICC Champions Trophy opener on Wednesday at Karachi. Chasing a challenging 321-run target, Pakistan’s batting lineup faltered, hampered by an incredibly slow start from their top order.

Pakistan’s innings was characterized by a painfully slow run rate, particularly in the early stages. After 10 overs, they had managed only 22/2, with captain Babar Azam (12* off 27 balls) and Mohammad Rizwan (3* off 14 balls) struggling to accelerate. Even at the 20-over mark, the score was a meager 66/2.

The arrival of Salman Agha injected some much-needed pace into the innings, with a fluent 42 off 28 balls. However, his efforts were ultimately overshadowed by the sluggish performance of Babar Azam, whose slow innings (64 off 90 balls) drew comparisons to the “Tortoise and the Hare” fable from commentator Ravichandran Ashwin.

Saud Shakeel (6), Rizwan (3), and Babar’s slow starts significantly hampered Pakistan’s chase. While Fakhar Zaman provided some brief impetus, wickets continued to fall, leaving Pakistan struggling to keep pace with the required run rate. The lower-order provided some late fireworks, with Khushdil Shah scoring a rapid 69, but it was too little, too late.

New Zealand’s bowling attack was effective throughout. Will O’Rourke (3/47) and Mitchell Santner (3/66) were the pick of the bowlers, while Matt Henry also claimed two crucial wickets.

The defeat leaves Pakistan in a precarious position, with their next match against arch-rivals India looming as a virtual knockout game. The team’s slow batting and inability to chase a sizeable total raise serious concerns about their chances of progressing in the tournament.

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