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ICC Champions Trophy 2025 PAK vs NZ: Get the pitch report and weather forecast ahead of the curtain-raiser between Pakistan and New Zealand at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi.
ICC Champions Trophy 2025 PAK vs NZ: Get the pitch report and weather forecast ahead of the curtain-raiser between Pakistan and New Zealand at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi. (X)
The Champions Trophy 2025 starts on Wednesday, February 19 and the tournament opener will be played between Pakistan and New Zealand at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi. It is the first ICC event Pakistan is co-hosting since the 1996 World Cup. Pakistan will be heading into this edition of the Champions Trophy as the reigning title holders. They won the previous edition in 2017, beating arch-rivals India in the final. Led by Muhammad Rizwan, Pakistan will be hopeful of kicking off their tournament on a high note this time. Haris Rauf will return to action after missing most of the tri-series against New Zealand and South Africa due to injury issues.
New Zealand suffered a massive setback with fast bowler Lockie Ferguson being ruled out due to a foot injury he picked up in the warm-up match against Afghanistan last weekend. Kyle Jamieson has been named as his replacement. Jamieson played his most recent ODI game in September 2023. Despite missing one of their key players, the Mitchell Santner-led side will be eyeing a dominant win in the opener.
Karachi Weather Forecast:
The skies in Karachi will be partly cloudy during the Champions Trophy opener between Pakistan and New Zealand on February 19. Chances of rainfall remain low at seven per cent with the temperatures hovering between 30 degrees Celsius during the day and 19 degrees Celsius at night. The wind speeds will range between 15 km/h to 25 km/h with a maximum humidity level of 72 per cent.
Pitch Report:
The pitch of the National Bank Stadium in Karachi is typically known for its batting-friendly conditions. It offers good bounce and carry which helps batters execute their shots with ease. Pacers will find a little assistance when bowling with the new ball. As the game progresses, the batting conditions may get better. Hence, the captain may choose to field first after winning the toss. In the recently concluded Pakistan Tri-Nation Series 2025, the hosts chased down South Africa’s mammoth 353-run target in Karachi with an over to spare. New Zealand found a similar win as they thrashed Pakistan’s 242-run total with more than three overs in hand.
