KARACHI, Pakistan — After a nearly three-decade hiatus, Pakistan is set to host a significant International Cricket Council (ICC) event, having won the toss and opted to field first in the opening match of the Champions Trophy against New Zealand.
As the reigning champions, Pakistan triumphed over traditional rivals India in the final when the tournament was last held in 2017. However, India’s players will be competing in the United Arab Emirates for their group stage matches, including a highly anticipated matchup against Pakistan scheduled for Sunday. This occurs as India’s government prohibited the players from traveling to Pakistan.
The last major ICC event hosted by Pakistan was the 1996 World Cup, which was co-hosted with India and Sri Lanka. New Zealand, riding high after their recent success, is familiar with the conditions at the newly renovated Karachi stadium following their victory in a tri-nation series against both Pakistan and South Africa last week.
Despite facing setbacks with the loss of key fast bowlers Lockie Ferguson and Ben Sears to injury, New Zealand’s squad is in good shape for the Champions Trophy. Their top-order batting lineup has been performing well, and their spin attack, spearheaded by Mitchell Santner, has effectively navigated the middle overs of the match.
Unfortunately for New Zealand, they will not have the services of opening batsman Rachin Ravindra for this initial game, as he is still recuperating from a head injury sustained during the opening match of the tri-nation series in Lahore, which is one of the three cities hosting the Champions Trophy in Pakistan.
On Pakistan’s side, fast bowler Haris Rauf, who had been sidelined for the last two games in the tri-nation series due to a side strain, passed his fitness assessment and was brought back into the team, replacing all-rounder Faheem Ashraf.
New Zealand boasts a solid record, having won the first edition of this tournament in 1998 and remaining undefeated in their previous three encounters with Pakistan during the Champions Trophy in 2000, 2006, and 2009.
In Group A, teams include Pakistan, New Zealand, and Bangladesh, while Group B consists of England, South Africa, Australia, and Afghanistan. The two leading teams from each group will advance to the semifinals, with the final match scheduled for March 9. Should India reach the final, it will take place in Dubai; if not, Lahore will serve as the venue for the championship showdown.
**Line-ups:**
**New Zealand:** Will Young, Devon Conway, Kane Williamson, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham, Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner (captain), Nathan Smith, Matt Henry, Will O’Rourke.
**Pakistan:** Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Salman Ali Agha, Tayyab Tahir, Khushdil Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed.
