The Champions Trophy kicked off today (19) in Karachi, Pakistan, with the opening match between New Zealand and hosts Pakistan. Winning the toss, Pakistan elected to bowl first.
Batting first, New Zealand put up a formidable total of 320/5 in their 50 overs. The innings was anchored by *centuries from Will Young (107) and Tom Latham (118)**, while Glenn Phillips smashed 61 off 39 balls in a late onslaught. Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf took two wickets each for Pakistan.
In response, Pakistan’s batting lineup faltered, getting bowled out for 260 runs. Babar Azam (64) and Khushdil Shah (69) were the top scorers for the hosts. Will O’Rourke and Mitchell Santner starred with the ball, picking up three wickets each.
With this 60-run victory, New Zealand starts their Champions Trophy campaign on a high note, while Tom Latham, with his match-winning century, was named Player of the Match.
