Pak vs NZ: Fakhar Zaman exits game after injury

Ace batter Fakhar Zaman left the ground due to injury while fielding during Pakistan's opening match against New Zealand in the ICC Champions Trophy at the National Stadium in Karachi.

The incident occurred during the first over while Fakhar Zaman was fielding at mid-off, attempting to catch the ball.

Details of Fakhar Zaman's injury are unconfirmed, though he appeared to hurt his knee and was seen sitting on the ground in pain.

In an exciting start to the Champions Trophy 2025 opener, Pakistan won the toss and elected to bowl first against New Zealand at National Stadium, Karachi.

The Green Shirts have a golden opportunity to defend their Champions Trophy title, which they claimed eight years ago in England after a memorable victory over India in the final.

Pakistan playing XI:

Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (c) (wk), Salman Ali Agha, Khushdil Shah, Tayyab Tahir, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Abrar Ahmed, Mohammad Hasnain

New Zealand playing XI:

Devon Conway, Will Young, Kane Williamson, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham (wk), Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner (c), Michael Bracewell, Nathan Smith, Jacob Duffy, William O'Rourke

 The Champions Trophy kicked off today (Wednesday) at the National Stadium, with the opening match between Pakistan and New Zealand.

A total of eight teams will compete for the coveted trophy, drawing a large number of cricket enthusiasts to the stadium. To ensure smooth proceedings, authorities have implemented strict security measures and issued important guidelines for spectators.

Fans attending the match should be aware that certain items are prohibited inside the stadium. These include:

Spectators will not be allowed to carry power banks for charging mobile phones.

AirPods, headphones, and hands-free devices are strictly prohibited.

Items such as chalia, paan, and gutka are not allowed inside the stadium.

Spectators cannot bring water bottles, chips, cold drinks, or other snacks into the venue.

Authorities have urged fans to comply with these regulations to avoid inconvenience at the entrance.