Champions Trophy: Centuries From Latham, Young Propel New Zealand To 320/5 Vs Pakistan

Champions Trophy: Centuries from Latham, Young propel New Zealand to 320/5 vs Pakistan (Image Source: IANS)

ICC Champions Trophy: Centuries from Tom Latham and Will Young powered New Zealand to a formidable 320/5 in the opening match of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 against Pakistan at the National Bank Stadium.

The Kiwis finished with a flourish, accumulating 131 runs in the last 10 overs, setting up a daunting target for the hosts.

After being asked to bat first, New Zealand suffered early setbacks as Pakistan’s pace attack made an impact. Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah started tidily with the new ball, keeping openers Will Young and Devon Conway under pressure. Pakistan’s bowlers found little swing, but Naseem, in particular, extracted movement off the pitch, troubling the batters.

The breakthrough came in the ninth over when leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed bowled a beauty to dismiss Conway (10). The carrom ball pitched on middle and leg before turning past the bat to hit off-stump, leaving the left-hander stunned. Pakistan struck again in the very next over when Naseem produced an unplayable outswinger to send Kane Williamson back for just 1. Williamson edged one to the wicketkeeper as New Zealand were reduced to 48/2 at the end of the powerplay.

The trouble continued for the Kiwis as Haris Rauf, returning from injury, removed the dangerous Daryl Mitchell in the 17th over. Struggling to find his rhythm, Mitchell managed just 10 runs off 24 balls before mistiming a pull to mid-on. At 73/3, New Zealand needed a substantial partnership to steady their innings.

Young and captain Latham took control of the innings, rescuing New Zealand with a crucial 118-run stand for the fourth wicket. Young, who had been in fine touch leading into the tournament, played with fluency, driving elegantly through covers and handling Pakistan’s spinners with precision. Latham, on the other hand, took a cautious approach initially, rotating the strike and keeping the scoreboard ticking.

Young brought up his century in fine fashion, spending four deliveries on 99 before sweeping Abrar for a boundary to reach his maiden international ton away from home. His composed 107 off 119 deliveries, laced with 12 fours and a six, anchored the innings during the middle phase. However, his stay at the crease ended in the 36th over when he tried to accelerate, mistiming a lofted shot off Naseem to Ashraf at deep square leg.

Latham, struggling for form leading into the tournament, capitalised on his start and carried on even after Young’s departure. Using sweeps and reverse sweeps effectively against spinners, he kept the pressure on Pakistan’s bowlers. Latham reached his century in just 95 balls, marking his first ODI hundred since 2022. His innings proved vital as he remained unbeaten, ensuring a strong finish for New Zealand.

With Latham well-set, Glenn Phillips arrived at the crease and immediately took the attack to Pakistan’s bowlers. The power-hitter wasted no time, smashing Haris Rauf for a towering six over long-on before racing to his fifty off just 34 balls. His explosive innings of 61 off 39 deliveries ensured that New Zealand made full use of the final overs.

Pakistan’s bowlers, who had controlled the game during the early and middle overs, struggled to contain the batters in the slog overs. Abrar, who had bowled economically for most of his spell, conceded 16 runs in his final over. Haris and Shaheen also bore the brunt of New Zealand’s aggression, as the visitors piled on 131 runs in the last 10 overs. The only respite for Pakistan came when Phillips was dismissed late in the innings, but by then, the damage had been done.

New Zealand’s total of 320/5 was only the second instance of a team scoring 300-plus against Pakistan in the Champions Trophy, after India’s 319/3 at Edgbaston in 2017. The strong total ensured that Pakistan would need a record chase to begin their campaign with a win.

Despite an impressive start, Pakistan’s bowling attack lost momentum in the death overs. Naseem Shah (2/63) and Haris Rauf (2/83) were the pick of the bowlers, striking early but failing to contain the scoring rate later on. Shaheen Afridi (0/68) bowled with discipline initially but was expensive towards the end. Abrar Ahmed (1/47) showed glimpses of brilliance, including his dismissal of Conway, but he too was taken apart in his final spell.

One of Pakistan’s key struggles was the lack of a reliable fifth bowling option. While the likes of Ravindra Jadeja for India or Glenn Maxwell for Australia often break partnerships in the middle overs, Pakistan lacked a similar impact bowler. This allowed Latham and Young to build a crucial stand that swung the game in New Zealand’s favor.

Despite an impressive start, Pakistan’s bowling attack lost momentum in the death overs. Naseem Shah (2/63) and Haris Rauf (2/83) were the pick of the bowlers, striking early but failing to contain the scoring rate later on. Shaheen Afridi (0/68) bowled with discipline initially but was expensive towards the end. Abrar Ahmed (1/47) showed glimpses of brilliance, including his dismissal of Conway, but he too was taken apart in his final spell.

Article Source: IANS