The Champions Trophy 2025 commenced with Pakistan hosting New Zealand in the season opener at the National Stadium in Karachi on February 19. New Zealand batted first and posted a formidable total of 320 runs, courtesy of centuries by Will Young and Tom Latham, along with a blistering knock by Glenn Phillips.
Pakistan, aiming to chase the massive target, struggled to build momentum early in their innings. Saud Shakeel and Babar Azam opened the batting, but the required acceleration was missing. Babar, despite scoring runs, took a cautious approach, reaching his half-century in 81 balls before getting dismissed for 64 off 90 deliveries.
Reacting to Babar’s innings, former India cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin shared his thoughts in a video on his YouTube channel. “I don’t want people to misunderstand me. Babar Azam is a talented player. Even yesterday, he struck a gorgeous cover drive. But one cover drive doesn’t win you games,” Ashwin remarked.
Expressing concern over the lack of urgency, Ashwin added, “Where was the intent? Did he forget it at home? Until Salman Ali Agha came out to bat, the scoreboard did not move one bit. If a batter is out of form, I understand. If the ball is swinging or seaming, I understand. Two off-spinners were bowling!”
Pakistan ultimately fell short, managing only 260 runs in their chase, as New Zealand secured a convincing 60-run victory. With a disappointing start to their Champions Trophy campaign, the hosts now look ahead to their next challenge—a high-stakes clash against arch-rivals India, where they will hope for a much-improved performance.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Stay ahead of the latest cricket industry trends by subscribing to our free cricexec “daily briefing” newsletter.
Photo Credit: Instagram Photo of @rashwin99
