Pakistan‘s hopes of advancing to the semi-finals of the ongoing 2025 Champions Trophy have suffered a significant setback following their defeat to New Zealand in the tournament opener in Karachi.

In the highly anticipated first match, Tom Latham and Will Young both struck centuries, leading New Zealand to a 60-run victory over the hosts.

Batting first after being asked, New Zealand set a challenging target, posting 320/5 in their 50 overs. Pakistan, in reply, could only manage 260 all out in 47.2 overs, with Will O’Rourke (3-47), Mitchell Santner (3-66), and Matt Henry (2-25) playing crucial roles with the ball.

Looking ahead, Pakistan’s next fixture is a high-stakes encounter against arch-rivals India on February 23 in Dubai. The Green Shirts will need to win this match to keep their semi-final hopes alive.

The road ahead for Pakistan is a precarious one, as any slip-up could result in their elimination from the tournament. In order to progress, Pakistan must secure victories in their remaining matches against India and Bangladesh.

Additionally, the team will need to carefully monitor their net run rate, as there is a chance that three teams could end up with two wins each, making the net run rate a deciding factor for progression to the next stage.