Pakistan vs New Zealand Likely Playing XIs: Rachin Ravindra To Be Fit For Champions Trophy Opener?

The Champions Trophy is back on the calendars of cricket enthusiasts as the extravaganza fest returns after over seven years of absence with a high-profile match between Pakistan and New Zealand beginning the tournament in the revamped Karachi Stadium on Wednesday. Cricket has been going through a phase where the ODI craves attention while its younger sibling, T20I, has been getting all the plaudits for delivering on its promise of an action-packed affair.

As the Champions Trophy returns, fans' appetite for ODI cricket is expected to return to its peak. A lot has happened since Sarfaraz Ahmed took Pakistan to glory in 2017 by overwhelming their bitter rival, India, with a 180-run victory in the final.

Before fans could forget Pakistan's success story in 2017, the Champions Trophy has returned, even though it remains an awkward fit considering the amount of T20I and Test action that has unfolded over the past years.

In the tournament opener, Pakistan will face familiar foes, New Zealand, who have recently had an upper hand over the defending champions. The Blackcaps will be on familiar turf, considering no other team has played more ODIs than them in Pakistan (11) since the beginning of 2019.

New Zealand will certainly back themselves to outfox Pakistan, considering their success over Pakistan in the ODI tri-nation final just five days before in Karachi.

In the 2019 and 2023 ICC ODI World Cup, New Zealand and Pakistan faced each other twice, and on both occasions, the Men in Green dug deep and found the road to success.

For Pakistan, the most concerning thing about their lineup would be their misfiring premier batter, Babar Azam. He has gone 21 innings without scoring a century in the format. His recent promotion to the