“We Didn’t Expect”, Md. Rizwan Opens Up On Pakistan’s Defeat In Champions Trophy Opener

Pakistan’s campaign in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 began on a disappointing note as they suffered a crushing 60-run defeat against New Zealand at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi. Despite playing on home soil and winning the toss, the defending champions struggled to gain control of the match, ultimately falling short in both bowling and batting.

Skipper Mohammad Rizwan, in his post-match assessment, admitted that his team was caught off guard by New Zealand’s commanding performance. He revealed that Pakistan had not anticipated such a high target, expecting the visitors to post a total closer to 260. However, a strong batting display by Will Young and Tom Latham shifted the momentum in New Zealand’s favor.

“They made a good target, we didn’t expect that. We were looking at something around 260. We tried our best and used all tactics, but they played well and put up a good total,” Rizwan said during the post-match presentation.

Pakistan’s decision to bowl first, despite home advantage, backfired as the pitch conditions became trickier under the floodlights. While the surface was initially challenging for batting, Rizwan acknowledged that it eased up as Young and Latham built their partnership, allowing New Zealand to capitalize. He also pointed out that Pakistan repeated some of their past mistakes, particularly referencing their struggles in Lahore.

“We see the pitch conditions—earlier, it wasn’t easy to bat, but when Young and Latham settled in, it got easier. In the end, we made the same mistake like we did in Lahore, and they made a good target,” he added.

With their first game ending in disappointment, Pakistan now faces the challenge of regrouping quickly to keep their title defense on track.