Pakistan will take on New Zealand in the first match of the 2025 Champions Trophy tomorrow (February 19) - Here's what the Betfair odds for the match are.
The tournament returns to the scene after a hiatus of eight years. Pakistan enter as the defending champions but you never know what to expect from them, a phenomenon recently acknowledged by their white-ball captain Mohammad Rizwan. Last time, Pakistan produced a remarkable turnaround by winning four games on the trot despite losing the first one.
They were originally supposed to be the hosts of the tournament but India's decision to not tour the country due to strained bilateral relations led to a hybrid model, in the mould of the 2023 Asia Cup.
The opening match is an encore of the recently-held tri-series final in the country between Pakistan and New Zealand, which the 'Blackcaps' comprehensively won by five wickets.
With Lockie Ferguson sidelined due to a hamstring injury, Kyle Jamieson has been named as his replacement in New Zealand's Champions Trophy squad.
— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) February 18, 2025
Read more ➡️ https://t.co/FSG7D4NcB8 pic.twitter.com/Ruh1RMu23E
Can New Zealand continue their winning momentum?
New Zealand was the only team to remain undefeated in the tri-series before eventually becoming champions. The disastrous campaign in the 2024 T20 World Cup is now a thing of the past as the squad has shaped up well with all bases covered. Another thing that works for them is the wickets on offer are conducive to batting with negligible assistance to spinners.
All these potentially make them the favourites to clinch the curtain-raiser, at least on paper. But they are up against Pakistan, who have a perennial tendency to be unpredictable. By the looks of it, Pakistan now did away with the conservating style of batting, having pulled off their highest-ever chase of 353 against South Africa in the tri-series. A cracker of a match is on the cards, with the hosts having their nose ahead with odds of 4/6 on Betfair Sportsbook compared to New Zealand's 11/10.
Who are the players to watch out for? | PAK vs NZ
Having returned to the ODI fray for the first time since the 2023 ODI World Cup, Kane Williamson hit his much-awaited 14th hundred in the format. He also became the second-fastest to 7,000 ODI runs. As always, Kane Williamson is expected to be the batting fulcrum of New Zealand and that’s backed by Betfair’s odds of 11/4 to be top New Zealand batter, the joint highest in the match alongside Babar Azam respectively. Though Babar, who opened in the tri-series, was horribly out of form, the support of the home crowd and batting surfaces are ideal conditions to get back his touch.
In terms of bowling, Matt Henry, who has successfully fulfilled the role of New Zealand’s frontline seamer for quite some time now is expected to shine. He is backed by Betfair Sportsbook’s odds of 5/2 of coming away New Zealand's top bowler. Pakistan on the other hand are sweating on Haris Rauf’s fitness. Should he remain unavailable, Shaheen Afridi, priced at 13/5 to be Pakistan's top bowler, is expected to play a big role.
You can bet on every match in-play during the Champions Trophy with the Betfair Exchange. This alternative way of betting allows customers to bet against each other rather than a traditional bookmaker. This way you often find much higher in-play odds than with traditional fixed markets. Please gamble responsibly.
Follow Wisden for all cricket updates, including live scores, match stats, quizzes and more. Stay up to date with the latest cricket news, player updates, team standings, match highlights, video analysis and live match odds.
