By Zainab Shafiq 
Pakistan and New Zealand are set to face off in the opening match of Group A in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 at the National Stadium, Karachi. Both teams will be eager to start their campaign with a win, setting the tone for the tournament.
Champions Trophy Match 1 Details:
- Date: Wednesday, February 19, 2025
- Venue: National Stadium, Karachi
- Time: 2:00 PM PST | 9:00 AM GMT | 2:00 PM LOCAL
Preview:
These two teams recently met in a tri-nation series alongside a second-string South African side, where New Zealand dominated Pakistan, winning both encounters convincingly. In the first game, the Blackcaps posted a commanding 330/6, powered by Glenn Phillips’ brilliant century. Pakistan, in response, fell short at 252. In the final, Pakistan struggled to 242 after opting to bat first in Karachi, and New Zealand chased the target with five wickets and 28 balls to spare.
New Zealand have adapted well to subcontinent conditions, thanks to their strong balance of spin-bowling all-rounders—Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, and Mitchell Santner. The batting unit is in fine form, with Kane Williamson and Devon Conway among the runs. Despite the absence of Lockie Ferguson due to injury, their pace attack, led by Matt Henry and Will O’Rourke, remains a threat.
Pakistan, on the other hand, experimented with Babar Azam opening the innings in the tri-series, but the move did not pay off, as he managed only 62 runs across three innings. However, head coach Aqib Javed has backed him to continue in the role for the Champions Trophy. Fakhar Zaman and Mohammad Rizwan will be key to their batting, while Salman Ali Agha’s form in the middle order provides stability. In the bowling department, Shaheen Shah Afridi carries high expectations as the leader of the attack, with Naseem Shah and Abrar Ahmed playing crucial roles.
Pitch and Weather Report:
The National Stadium in Karachi generally favors batters, with good carry and bounce early on before assisting spinners as the game progresses. Chasing could be tricky under lights, making the toss crucial.
The weather is expected to be clear with no chance of rain. The temperature will hover around 26°C-28°C, with humidity levels around 40%.
Predicted Playing XIs for Champions Trophy Match 1:
New Zealand: Will Young, Devon Conway, Kane Williamson, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham (wk), Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner (c), Matt Henry, Jacob Duffy, Will O’Rourke.
Pakistan: Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (c/wk), Salman Agha, Tayyab Tahir, Khushdil Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Faheem Ashraf/Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah, Abrar Ahmed.
Dream11 Fantasy Team Prediction:
Wicketkeepers: Mohammad Rizwan, Tom Latham
Batters: Babar Azam, Kane Williamson, Fakhar Zaman, Devon Conway
All-rounders: Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner
Bowlers: Shaheen Shah Afridi, Matt Henry, Naseem Shah
Captain: Kane Williamson
Vice-Captain: Mohammad Rizwan
Where to Watch Champions Trophy Match 1 Live?
India and South Asia (Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives)
- TV Channel: Star Sports Network
- Streaming Website: Hotstar
- App: JioHotstar
Pakistan
- PTV Sports
- Streaming Website: PTV Sports
- App: Myco
- Ten Sports
- Streaming Website: Tamasha
- App: Tamasha
Bangladesh
- TV Channel: Nagorik TV
- Streaming Website: T Sports
- App: Toffee
Middle East and North Africa (MENA)
- TV Channel: CricLife Max
- Streaming Website: StarzPlay
- App: StarzON
United Kingdom & Northern Ireland
- TV Channels: Sky Sports Cricket, Sky Sports Main Event
- Streaming Websites: Sky Sports, Sky Go, NOW TV
- App: Sky Sports
Sub-Saharan Africa
- TV Channel: SS Cricket
- Streaming Website: SuperSport
- App: SuperSport, DSTV
USA & Canada
- TV Channels: Willow TV (USA & Canada), Willow Xtra (USA only)
- Streaming Websites: Willow TV, CricBuzz Premium
- App: Willow TV, CricBuzz
Caribbean Islands
- TV Channel: ESPN Caribbean
- Streaming Website: ESPN CricInfo
- App: ESPN Play Caribbean
Australia
- Streaming Website: Amazon Prime Video
- App: Prime Video
New Zealand
- TV Channels: Sky Sport 1, Sky Sport 3
- Streaming Websites: Sky NZ, Sky Sport Now, Sky Go
Sri Lanka
- TV Channel: TV1
- Streaming Website: Sirasatv
- App: ICC TV
Afghanistan
- TV Channel: ATN
- Streaming Website & App: ICC TV
Papua New Guinea
- TV Channel: TVWAN Action
- Streaming Website & App: ICC TV
Rest of the World
- Streaming Website & App: ICC TV
Also, see:
ICC Announces Star-Studded Commentary Panel for Champions Trophy 2025