Pakistan’s Champions Trophy defense began with a crushing defeat against New Zealand in their opening Group A match, putting them in a tough spot on the points table.
New Zealand dominated with the bat, as Tom Latham and Will Young struck centuries. Glenn Phillips added quick runs, setting a challenging target of 320. Pakistan’s chase lacked stability. Babar Azam and Salman Ali Agha showed resistance, while Khushdil Shah’s late efforts entertained the crowd but never threatened the target.
Pakistan’s loss means the winner of the India vs. Bangladesh clash will overtake them in Group A, making their path to the semi-finals even harder. Facing India next, Mohammad Rizwan’s squad must significantly improve to stay in contention.
Champions Trophy 2025 – Group A Standings
| Rank | Team | M | W | L | T | N/R | PT | NRR | Form | Next Matches |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Zealand | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | +1.20 | W | vs Bangladesh, India |
| 2 | Pakistan | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1.20 | L | vs India, Bangladesh |
| 3 | Bangladesh | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | vs India, New Zealand, Pakistan |
| 4 | India | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | vs Bangladesh, Pakistan, New Zealand |
Pakistan must secure a win against India to revive their campaign and keep their knockout hopes alive.