Babar Azam had a new opening partner for the opening game of the 2025 Champions Trophy, against New Zealand at Karachi.
Pakistan had a setback two balls into the 2025 Champions Trophy after Mohammad Rizwan won the toss and opted to field. After Will Young cover-drove Shaheen Shah Afridi, Fakhar Zaman sprinted from mid-off, chased the ball, and restricted New Zealand to three runs.
However, he summoned the physiotherapist on the ground. After some treatment, he walked off – he was later diagnosed with “muscular sprain” – and Kamran Ghulam came on as a substitute fielder. He was off the ground for the remainder of the powerplay, but returned after the 12th over, and stayed on for three overs. He was back after 33 overs, and fielded for the rest of the innings.
Match 1, Pakistan vs New Zealand
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Law 25.3 of cricket states: “If a member of the batting side has unserved Penalty time ... that player shall not be permitted to bat or act as a runner until that Penalty time has been served. However, even if the unserved Penalty time has not expired, that player may bat after his/her side has lost 5 wickets.”
Had the New Zealand innings continued until 6.25 PM Pakistan Standard Time – four hours 25 minutes – Fakhar would have served his penalty time and would have been allowed to open batting. However, the innings closed at 6.05 PM, which meant that Pakistan were forced to open with Saud Shakeel alongside Babar. Fakhar will be allowed to bat only after 20 minutes of the innings elapses, or five wickets fall.
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At the match, Young (107) and Tom Latham (118 not out) lifted New Zealand from 73-3 to 320-5. Pakistan would have preferred Fakhar at the top for the chase: he has 1,053 runs at 65.81 against New Zealand in ODIs – the highest average for anyone against them in the format with a 1,000-run cut-off.
