Champions Trophy: We played it like a normal match, says Rizwan after loss

Pakistan started their ICC Champions Trophy 2025 campaign with a 60-run loss to New Zealand in the tournament opener in Karachi on Sunday. Barring the first few overs, Pakistan adopted a defensive approach, which ultimately cost them the match and put a dent in their campaign to defend the title at home. Pakistan skipper Mohammad Rizwan, in the post-match presentation, said they were surprised by the target set by New Zealand and credited the efforts of Will Young and Tom Latham for the big score.

 

We played it like any other match 

Mohammad Rizwan admitted that Pakistan treated the game like any other match and failed to capitalize on crucial moments. He expressed disappointment over losing momentum twice—first during the death overs while bowling and then in the powerplay while batting. Despite their best efforts, Pakistan couldn’t execute their tactics effectively, ultimately falling short.  Check latest news on ICC Champions Trophy 2025 here

 

On Fakhar Zaman’s injury 

Rizwan revealed that Fakhar Zaman was still awaiting his medical results and experiencing some pain. The extent of his injury remained uncertain, leaving Pakistan in suspense regarding his availability for upcoming matches.

 

What went wrong? 

Pakistan miscalculated New Zealand’s total, initially expecting a target of around 260 but ending up chasing a much higher score. Rizwan acknowledged that the pitch conditions improved as Will Young and Tom Latham settled in, making batting easier. Additionally, Pakistan’s batting faltered early, failing to get the solid start needed to chase down the target.

 

Pakistan’s next match 

Pakistan will now travel to Dubai for their second match against arch-rivals India on Sunday, February 23, which will also be a do-or-die match for them if India manage to beat Bangladesh on Thursday.  Check ICC Champions Trophy 2025 points table here