Pakistan's late flurry proved fruitless as the Champions Trophy co-hosts slipped to a 60-run defeat to New Zealand in the opening match of the tournament. (Full Coverage | More Cricket News)
ꦿPropelled by brilliant centuries from Will Young (107) and Tom Latham (118 not out), New Zealand reached the end of their 50 overs on 320-5 in Karachi on Thursday.
🌃New Zealand did not have it all their own way, however, falling from 39-0 to 40-2 in the space of five deliveries, losing Devon Conway (10) and key man Kane Williamson (one).
෴Daryl Mitchell (10) fell to Haris Rauf (2-83) in the 17th over, but Young and Lathan rebuilt the innings with a 118-run partnership.
📖Young's knock came to an end when he heaved into the leg side from Naseem Shah's delivery, with substitute fielder Faheem Ashraf taking a superb catch, but with New Zealand on 191-3, Latham and Glenn Phillips then took over.
🐲Phillips plundered 61 off just 39 balls to get the run rate up before he was dismissed by Rauf in the final over, while Latham clipped a boundary to leave defending champions Pakistan requiring 321.
🍒Saud Shakeel (six) and Mohammad Rizwan (three) went inside the first 10 overs, leaving Pakistan on 22-2, but captain Babar Azam proved why he is one of the world's best with an exceptional 64.
൲Babar was supported well by Fakhar Zaman (24) and Salman Agha (42), but Mitchell Santner (3-63) ended the Pakistan skipper's stand.
🐷Khushdil Shah took up the mantle with a quickfire 69, but once he was caught behind by Latham in the 44th over from the bowling of Will O'Rourke (3-47), Pakistan's hopes all but faded away.
🌸Rauf (19) offered some late resistance with three big sixes, but he was then caught in the deep by Mitchell, with Naseem Shah bowled by Matt Henry two balls later to seal New Zealand's victory.
Data Debrief: Black Caps in dominant form
ౠNew Zealand have now defeated Pakistan four times in the 50-over format in February, and have also won all four of their Champions Trophy matches against them.
🌳This victory did snap, though, a three-match losing streak in the competition for the Black Caps, who lost all of their matches in the last edition back in 2017.
ꦯWhile Latham top scored, Young got New Zealand's innings going with his fantastic effort. He came into this tournament out of form, having scored no more than 19 in his last five ODI innings, but he turned on the style here.
✃He was stuck on 99 for four balls before he brought up his fourth ODI ton - though his first outside of New Zealand - with a sweep.
𒀰Latham, meanwhile, now owns New Zealand's second-highest score in the Champions Trophy, trailing the national record set by Nathan Astle (145 not out).
