KARACHI: The much-anticipated ICC Champions Trophy 2025 kicks off today with the opening match between defending champions Pakistan and New Zealand ( Pak v NZ) here at Karachi Stadium.
The matches of the eight nations mega tournament will be played across three major Pakistani cities — Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi — as well as Dubai. The final will take place on March 9 for which venue will be decided later.
Pakistan will face New Zealand at Karachi where it defeated Pakistan in the ODI tri-nation series final just five days before the start of the ICC Champions Trophy. Karachi is also hosting the mega tournament opener.
New Zealand defeated Pakistan twice in the tri-series.
Since 2019, no visiting team has played more ODIs against Pakistan than New Zealand in this country. Â However, keeping in view Pakistan’s performance against New Zealand in mega ICC tournaments like the 2019 and 2023 World Cups, it is an ideal contest for the defending champions to start their journey in the ICC champions Trophy.
Pakistan had won the head-to-head meetings both times in the 2019 and 2023 World Cups.
Both teams with potentially title-winning strengths as well as title-squandering flaws, and this, perhaps, makes it the ideal contest to kick things off.
Pakistan is hosting the ICC tournament after 29 years for which the PCB upgraded Karachi and Lahore stadiums.
Meanwhile, the International Cricket Council (ICC) unveiled the commentary panel for the Champions Trophy 2025. The panel features some of the biggest names in cricket, including Sunil Gavaskar, Ian Bishop, Nasser Hussain and Ramiz Raja.
Other star-studded commentary panel includes Ian Smith, Ravi Shastri, Aaron Finch, Matthew Hayden, Mel Jones, Harsha Bhogle, Michael Atherton, Wasim Akram, Pommie Mbangwa, Simon Doull, Dale Steyn, Bazid Khan, and Dinesh Karthik.
