Watch: Mohammad Rizwan's Gesture After Pakistan Star Concedes 16 In 1 Over vs New Zealand Goes Viral

Pakistan's start in the Champions Trophy 2025 was not at all worth remembering. Their famed bowling line-up came under pressure. Fluent hundreds by opener Will Young and skipper Tom Latham powered New Zealand to a competitive 320 for five against hosts and defending champions Pakistan in the Champions Trophy opener on Wednesday. Young compiled an important innings of 107 off 113 balls, while Latham remained unbeaten on 118. Glenn Phillips then blazed away to a 39-ball 61 to prop up the Kiwi innings at the National Stadium. Young struck 12 fours and one six, while Latham batted through the innings to strike 10 boundaries and three maximums. Young played anchor after Pakistan elected to field first and had New Zealand reeling at 40 for two and then 73 for three in the 17th over.

Young fast bowler Naseem Shah got the prized wicket of Kane Williamson who was caught behind for a single digit score for the first time in his last 35 ODI outings.

Making a comeback to the team after an injury that had kept him out of the recently-held tri-series, Haris Rauf had Daryl Mitchell mistiming a pull shot to leave the visitors in trouble.

Opener Devon Conway was the first wicket to fall on a pitch which clearly has some grip in it for the spinners, as Abrar Ahmed, brought in the eighth over, used a carom ball to beat the southpaw.

With three wickets gone with not many runs on the board, Young, who is playing only because of an injury to Rachin Ravindra, steadied the ship in partnership with Latham as they put on 118 runs for the fourth wicket.

Pakistan, depending on one specialist spinner, three pace bowlers, and two part-time spinners in Khushdil Shah and Salman Agha, just didn't have the penetration to break the partnership.

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