Pakistan suffered an early injury scare in their Champions Trophy 2025 opener on Wednesday when star batter Fakhar Zaman hurt himself while fielding on just the second ball of the match. Chasing down a drive from New Zealand’s Will Young off Shaheen Afridi, Zaman sprinted after the ball and managed to relay it to Babar Azam but immediately signaled discomfort. He was taken off the field and replaced by Kamran Ghulam.
Zaman briefly returned to action before the 14th over but was forced to leave the ground again. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) later confirmed that he was being assessed for a muscular sprain, with further updates to follow.
The injury comes as a blow to Pakistan, especially after Saim Ayub was ruled out of the tournament with an ankle fracture sustained in a Test match against South Africa. That injury had led to Zaman’s recall to the ODI squad.
Fitness Updates for Both Teams
Despite concerns over Zaman, Pakistan had some positive news before the match, with fast bowler Haris Rauf declared fit to play. Rauf had suffered a side strain during a recent triangular series but was cleared to return to action.
New Zealand, however, had fitness concerns of their own, with all-rounder Rachin Ravindra ruled out. Ravindra was struck on the forehead while attempting a catch in the ODI tri-series last week and, despite showing no signs of delayed concussion, was rested as a precaution.
Historic Moment for Pakistan Cricket
This match also marked a significant moment for Pakistan, as ICC tournament cricket returned to the country for the first time since 1996. Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan won the toss and elected to field first against New Zealand in Karachi.
Playing XIs
Pakistan: Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (c & wk), Salman Agha, Tayyab Tahir, Khushdil Shah, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed.
New Zealand: Devon Conway, Will Young, Kane Williamson, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham (wk), Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner (c), Nathan Smith, Matt Henry, William O’Rourke.
