Pakistan and New Zealand square off in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 opener on February 20 at the National Stadium in Karachi. Co-hosts Pakistan are aiming to defend the Champions Trophy title. They beat India in the previous edition held in 2017. On the other hand, New Zealand have come into the Champions Trophy on the back of a massive ODI tri-series win involving Pakistan and South Africa in Pakistan. They tamed the hosts twice, including the finale.
The Mitchell Santner-led side looks like a formidable force in a group that features Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan. New Zealand would be keen to make another statement and start the tournament on a high. They have the resources to keep the Pakistan side quiet.
The two teams have met each other in 118 ODIs. Pakistan have won 61 matches. New Zealand have won 53 games. 1 game has been tied, whereas three matches have not had any results. In Pakistan, these two sides have played 30 times. Pakistan own 22 wins to NZ’s 8.
Ahead of the match, there are several top records in store for key players. Here, we bring out the same.
Kane Williamson eyes this massive ODI runs record for NZ
New Zealand batter Kane Williamson is a pivotal force for the Kiwis. He won the Player of the Series award in the recently concluded ODI tri-series. Williamson will back himself to continue to be among the runs. The star batter boasts tremendous numbers against Pakistan and is the top scorer in Pakistan vs New Zealand ODIs. From 24 matches, he has 1290 runs at a sensational 56-plus average. He has slammed three tons and 8 fifties with the best of 123.
Meanwhile, Williamson is set to become New Zealand’s 4th-highest scorer in ODIs. The player he will get past is former legend Nathan Astle.
Williamson has scored a total of 7035 runs in ODIs from 168 matches (160 innings). He is aiming to scale Astle, who finished his ODI career for the Kiwis with 7090 runs at 34.92. Williamson averages 49-plus in ODIs and is 56 runs shy of the milestone. He owns 14 tons and 46 fifties.
Ross Taylor owns the most runs for NZ (8607). He is followed by Stephen Fleming (8007) and Martin Guptill (7346).
The 4s touch!
Williamson can become just the 5th New Zealand batter to smash 650-plus fours. Currently, the right-handed batter has hit a total of 645 fours and is 5 shy of the landmark. He will join Taylor, Fleming, Guptill, and Astle in terms of smashing 650-plus fours in ODIs for New Zealand.
In addition to the record mentioned above, Williamson is set to go past 250 fours away from ODIs (home of opposition). He owns 247 fours and is three shy of the landmark.
2500 runs for Williamson in away matches
As per ESPNcricinfo, Williamson is nine runs shy of the 2500-run mark in away matches (home of opposition). He has amassed 2491 runs at 44.48 with the help of 5 tons and 16 fifties. He has played 65 games in away conditions to date. Notably, Williamson has 3000-plus ODI runs at home and is also nearing 1500 runs at neutral venues.
Pakistan’s Babar Azam eyes 1000 runs in ODIs against the Black Caps
Babar Azam comes into the Champions Trophy on the back of a poor ODI tri-series. He managed scores worth 10, 23, and 29 in the three outings. The management has taken a risk in promoting Babar as an opener alongside Fakhar Zaman. Babar has paltry returns as an opener. However, what makes Babar stand out is that he recently became the joint-fastest to 6000 ODI runs. He is Pakistan’s best batter, and if he hangs on in the middle, runs are guaranteed.
Babar enjoys facing New Zealand. In 22 matches, he has scored a total of 945 runs at 47.25 with the help of 10 fifty-plus scores (100s: 2, 50s: 8). Babar is now 55 runs shy of reaching the 1000-run mark in ODIs against the Kiwis. If he crosses the landmark, he will become just the 6th Pakistan batter to attain the milestone after the likes of Inzamam-ul-Haq, Saeed Anwar, Shahid Afridi, Saleem Malik, and Fakhar Zaman.
Babar enters the match with 6019 ODI runs at a solid 55.73. 1533 of his runs have come at home. He averages 66.65 on home soil in ODI cricket.
Fakhar Zaman aims to scale legends in PAK vs NZ ODIs
Pakistan opener Fakhar has smashed 1053 runs against New Zealand in ODIs at a sensational average of 65-plus. Notably, the southpaw is in line to become the 4th-highest scorer in PAK vs NZ ODIs. He can surpass Malik (1054), Taylor (1071), Afridi (1078), and Fleming (1090). This will put him behind only Williamson, Inzamam, and Anwar.
Fakhar eyes 1000 runs at home in ODIs
Fakhar is chasing a prominent landmark on home soil in ODIs. He has amassed 986 runs in Pakistan from 22 matches at 46.95. He owns three tons and 5 fifties. He is just 14 runs short of the milestone. Notably, he has 1632 runs in away matches and 1009 runs at neutral venues.
Latham eyes 2000-run milestone in away ODIs
NZ’s Tom Latham is on the verge of going past 2000 runs in away ODIs (home of opposition). In 60 matches, he has smashed 1969 runs at 35.80. He needs 31 runs to complete 2000 runs in away matches.
Overall, Latham has scored 4156 runs in ODIs at a decent average of 34.06.