Champions Trophy 2025, PAK vs NZ: Match Preview, Head-To-Head Record As Pakistan Face New Zealand In Tournament Opener
Defending champions Pakistan will open their Champions Trophy 2025 campaign against New Zealand on Tuesday, February 19 at National Stadium in Karachi.
Hosts Pakistan have a stacked squad with talent in all departments with Mohammed Rizwan leading the charge. Rizwan’s side was tipped by former Pakistan skipper Sarfaraz Khan, who won the competition in 2017, to defend their title in 2025.
“Pakistan have a really good chance of defending that title and I think they have a strong team. Some of the boys from 2017 are still there and we’re talking about some of the best – especially Babar Azam,” Sarfaraz said in his exclusive column for the ICC.
On the other hand, New Zealand have been plagued with injury issues especially in the bowling department, with Lockie Ferguson joining Ben Sears in being ruled out of the tournament.
The two sides recently met in the Tri-Nation Series in Pakistan in the leadup to the Champions Trophy. The Mitchell Santner-led New Zealand showed great form, winning all their fixtures including the final to take the trophy.
In the two games that Pakistan faced New Zealand, the latter came out on the top by five wickets in the group encounter and by 78 runs in the final. It gave a much-needed boost to New Zealand and left Pakistan with some work to do ahead of the Champions Trophy opener.
New Zealand and Pakistan have faced each other in 118 ODIs so far. Pakistan have won 61 of those and New Zealand have come out victorious in 53 matches. Three ODI between Pakistan and New Zealand yielded no result and one ended in a tie.
Pakistan And New Zealand have faced each other three times in the Champions Trophy – in 2000, 2006 and 2009. New Zealand have won all three times.
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