"The Tortoise": Babar Azam's Ultra Slow Knock Forces R Ashwin To Speak Out, Pakistan Pay The Price vs NZ In CT 2025

Pakistan started the Champions Trophy 2025 campaign with a 60-run loss against New Zealand in Karachi on Wednesday. Chasing a huge 321-run target, Pakistan's chase never really took off as the top-order batters played painfully slow knocks. In the first 10 overs, Pakistan scored just 22/2 with Babar Azam on 12* (27b) and Mohammad Rizwan on 3* (14b). In 15 overs, Pakistan reached 49/2 with Babar on 22* (37b) and in 20 overs, they scored just 66/2. The run-scoring pace only picked up when Salman Agha came to the crease. He played a fluent knock (42, 28b).

Ravichandran Ashwin took note of Babar's knock and said it reminded him of "The Tortoise and Rabbit story". 

Babar's journey to 50 coupled with Salman Ali Agha's batting has to be the best depiction of " The Tortoise and Rabbit story" . #ChampionsTrophy

The 50 I hope will come soon enough

Sluggishness and conservative are two words, that could define Pakistan's run-chase of 321 runs against New Zealand in their ICC Champions Trophy campaign opener as the defending champions were downed by 60 runs at Karachi on Wednesday.

This is NZ's fourth win against Pakistan in the CT, and it has never lost a match against the defending champions. Things are not looking good for Pakistan, as their next match against arch-rivals India will be a virtual knockout. Saud Shakeel, skipper Mohammed Rizwan, and Babar Azam's slow knocks let down their team badly.

In a run chase of 321 runs, Pakistan was off to a poor start as Saud Shakeel fell to Will O'Rourke for 6 (in 19 balls) after a thick edge off his bat went to Matt Henry at third man. Pakistan was 8/1 in 3.4 overs.

Pakistan skipper Mohammed Rizwan and Babar Azam joined forces, playing some really conservative cricket to end the first 10