at the National Stadium in Karachi. This thrilling encounter set the tone for what promises to be an exciting tournament. Below is a detailed breakdown of how the match unfolded.
🔍 Match Summary
| Team | Score | Overs | Result |
| New Zealand | 320/5 | 50.0 | Won by 60 runs |
| Pakistan | 260 all out | 48.3 | Lost |
🏏 New Zealand’s Innings: A Masterclass in Batting
🔹 Early Struggles but a Strong Comeback
- After winning the toss, Pakistan opted to bowl first, hoping to exploit early morning conditions.
- The Kiwi openers faced early trouble as Finn Allen (18 off 12) fell to Shaheen Afridi, and Devon Conway (7 off 19) was dismissed cheaply.
- At 73/3 in the 17th over, New Zealand looked vulnerable.
🔹 Tom Latham & Will Young’s Heroics
- Will Young (107 off 113) played a composed innings, stabilizing the innings after early setbacks.
- Captain Tom Latham (118 off 104)* played a true captain’s knock, anchoring the innings with his unbeaten century.
- Their 118-run partnership for the fourth wicket changed the momentum.
🔹 Glenn Phillips’ Late Surge
- Glenn Phillips (61 off 39 balls) provided a late acceleration, smashing boundaries in the final overs.
- Thanks to his power-hitting, New Zealand posted a strong total of 320/5 in 50 overs.
- 🔹 Pakistan’s Bowling Performance
| Bowler | Overs | Runs | Wickets |
| Haris Rauf | 10 | 83 | 2 |
| Naseem Shah | 10 | 63 | 2 |
| Abrar Ahmed | 10 | 47 | 1 |
Shaheen Afridi started well, but New Zealand’s middle-order resilience neutralized Pakistan’s bowlers.
Pakistan failed to contain runs in the final 10 overs, allowing New Zealand to add 90+ runs in that period.
🏏 Pakistan’s Chase: A Struggle Against Disciplined Kiwi Bowling
🔹 Early Wickets Cripple Pakistan
- Chasing 321, Pakistan’s innings got off to a rocky start.
- Saud Shakeel (4) was dismissed in the 4th over, followed by Captain Mohammad Rizwan (10 off 21), leaving Pakistan at 22/2 after 10 overs.
- The early dismissals put immense pressure on the middle order.
🔹 Babar Azam’s Lone Fight
- Babar Azam (64 off 90) fought valiantly to stabilize the innings but found little support.
- He formed a brief partnership with Fakhar Zaman (34 off 43), but the required run rate kept climbing.
- Once Babar was dismissed, Pakistan’s chances dwindled significantly.
🔹 Khushdil Shah’s Brave Effort
- With Pakistan struggling at 178/6, Khushdil Shah (69 off 52) played a counter-attacking knock.
- His aggressive batting briefly revived Pakistan’s hopes before he was removed by Mitchell Santner.
🔹 Pakistan’s Collapse and Defeat
- New Zealand’s bowlers maintained tight control, consistently picking up wickets.
- Pakistan was bowled out for 260 in 48.3 overs, falling 60 runs short of the target.
🏏 Key Performers of the Match
🌟 New Zealand
✅ Tom Latham (118 off 104)* – A captain’s innings, leading from the front.
✅ Will Young (107 off 113) – Anchored the innings with a well-constructed century.
✅ Glenn Phillips (61 off 39) – Explosive finish, pushing the total past 320.
✅ Matt Henry (3/45 in 9.3 overs) – Key bowler, breaking crucial partnerships.
🌟 Pakistan
✅ Babar Azam (64 off 90) – Tried to hold the innings together but lacked support.
✅ Khushdil Shah (69 off 52) – A fighting knock, but in vain.
✅ Shaheen Afridi (2/54 in 10 overs) – Best of Pakistan’s bowlers but struggled at the death.
