Champions Trophy 2025: Pakistan vs New Zealand, Match 1 - Top player battles to watch out for

<p>The first match of the<strong><a href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-news/that-excitement-and-the-nervousness-was-there-babar-azam-reflects-on-memories-of-champions-trophy-2017-triumph/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Champions Trophy</a></strong> is going to take place at the National Stadium in Karachi on Wednesday, February 19. The two teams who will be facing each other will be hosts and defending champions Pakistan and New Zealand. This will be the match that will kickstart proceedings in the first ICC tournament in Pakistan since 1996.</p>
<p>These two teams are one of the best teams in international cricket which also shows us the matchups between some top players in ODI cricket. It is time to discuss the best head-to-head stats from players featuring in both teams. Some world-class bowlers and batters will be featured in the upcoming match and it will be interesting to see which players are most likely to have a battle to watch out for in the opener of the ICC event.</p>
<h3>Here are the top three player battles to look forward to from Pakistan vs New Zealand clash:&nbsp;</h3>
<h3><strong>3. Mohammad Rizwan vs Mitchell Santner</strong></h3>
<figure class="image align-center" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/1739948209111_Mohammad-Rizwan-and-Mitchell-Santner.jpeg" alt="Mohammad Rizwan and Mitchell Santner" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img>
<figcaption>Mohammad Rizwan and Mitchell Santner (Source: ASIF HASSAN/AFP via Getty Images and DJ MILLS/AFP via Getty Images)</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The battle of the two skippers will be something to witness in the upcoming tournament. <strong><a href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-players/mohammad-rizwan/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mohammad Rizwan</a></strong> has been one of the top batters for Pakistan in all three formats so far and has made valuable contributions in the middle order. Mitchell Santner has also proved to be one of the top spinners for the Blackcaps known for his incredible accuracy.</p>
<p>Speaking of the battle between the two players Mitchell Santner has given the star wicketkeeper a tough fight in the ODI format. Santner has so far bowled 11 overs to Rizwan and has dismissed him twice. Rizwan has an average of 17.50 against Santner and has a low strike rate of 53.03.</p>
<p></p>
<h3><strong>2. Babar Azam vs Matt Henry</strong></h3>
<figure class="image" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/1739948460220_Babar-Azam-vs-Matt-Henry.jpeg" alt="Babar Azam vs Matt Henry" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img>
<figcaption>Babar Azam vs Matt Henry (Source: ASIF HASSAN/AFP via Getty Images and DJ MILLS/AFP via Getty Images)</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><strong><a href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-players/babar-azam/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Babar Azam</a></strong>&nbsp;will no doubt be the fan favourite in the upcoming game and is expected to give some great performances being the number 1 ODI batter but he will also be up against Matt Henry who has been leading the Kiwi pace attack since the retirement of Tim Southee and Trent Boult from international cricket.</p>
<p>The pacer has been doing a remarkable job so far and has got the better of the world-class batter in the 50-over format where he has dismissed him three times. Babar Azam has only averaged 27 against the right-arm pacer and will want to change that in the opening match.</p>
<p></p>
<h3><strong>1. Kane Williamson vs Shaheen Afridi</strong></h3>
<figure class="image" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/1739948653052_Kane-Williamson-vs-Shaheen-Afridi.jpeg" alt="Kane Williamson vs Shaheen Afridi" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img>
<figcaption>Kane Williamson vs Shaheen Afridi (Source: ASIF HASSAN/AFP via Getty Images and ASIF HASSAN/AFP via Getty Images)</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>This is the battle between the best in the business where Shaheen Afridi has been a star with the ball for Pakistan and<strong> <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-players/kane-williamson/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kane Williamson</a></strong> is now one of the legendary figures for the Blackcaps in international cricket. The battle between the elegant Tauranga-born batter and the prolific left-arm seamer will be one of the battles to look forward to.</p>
<p>Speaking of the stats Shaheen Afridi has dismissed Williamson only once in the 50-over format but the batter has still struggled against him a bit as well averaging only 30 against him and with a strike rate of only 60.</p>

<p>The first match of the<strong><a href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-news/that-excitement-and-the-nervousness-was-there-babar-azam-reflects-on-memories-of-champions-trophy-2017-triumph/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Champions Trophy</a></strong> is going to take place at the National Stadium in Karachi on Wednesday, February 19. The two teams who will be facing each other will be hosts and defending champions Pakistan and New Zealand. This will be the match that will kickstart proceedings in the first ICC tournament in Pakistan since 1996.</p>
<p>These two teams are one of the best teams in international cricket which also shows us the matchups between some top players in ODI cricket. It is time to discuss the best head-to-head stats from players featuring in both teams. Some world-class bowlers and batters will be featured in the upcoming match and it will be interesting to see which players are most likely to have a battle to watch out for in the opener of the ICC event.</p>
<h3>Here are the top three player battles to look forward to from Pakistan vs New Zealand clash:&nbsp;</h3>
<h3><strong>3. Mohammad Rizwan vs Mitchell Santner</strong></h3>
<figure class="image align-center"><img src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/1739948209111_Mohammad-Rizwan-and-Mitchell-Santner.jpeg" alt="Mohammad Rizwan and Mitchell Santner" loading="lazy">
<figcaption>Mohammad Rizwan and Mitchell Santner (Source: ASIF HASSAN/AFP via Getty Images and DJ MILLS/AFP via Getty Images)</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The battle of the two skippers will be something to witness in the upcoming tournament. <strong><a href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-players/mohammad-rizwan/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mohammad Rizwan</a></strong> has been one of the top batters for Pakistan in all three formats so far and has made valuable contributions in the middle order. Mitchell Santner has also proved to be one of the top spinners for the Blackcaps known for his incredible accuracy.</p>
<p>Speaking of the battle between the two players Mitchell Santner has given the star wicketkeeper a tough fight in the ODI format. Santner has so far bowled 11 overs to Rizwan and has dismissed him twice. Rizwan has an average of 17.50 against Santner and has a low strike rate of 53.03.</p>
<p></p>
<h3><strong>2. Babar Azam vs Matt Henry</strong></h3>
<figure class="image"><img src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/1739948460220_Babar-Azam-vs-Matt-Henry.jpeg" alt="Babar Azam vs Matt Henry" loading="lazy">
<figcaption>Babar Azam vs Matt Henry (Source: ASIF HASSAN/AFP via Getty Images and DJ MILLS/AFP via Getty Images)</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><strong><a href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-players/babar-azam/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Babar Azam</a></strong>&nbsp;will no doubt be the fan favourite in the upcoming game and is expected to give some great performances being the number 1 ODI batter but he will also be up against Matt Henry who has been leading the Kiwi pace attack since the retirement of Tim Southee and Trent Boult from international cricket.</p>
<p>The pacer has been doing a remarkable job so far and has got the better of the world-class batter in the 50-over format where he has dismissed him three times. Babar Azam has only averaged 27 against the right-arm pacer and will want to change that in the opening match.</p>
<p></p>
<h3><strong>1. Kane Williamson vs Shaheen Afridi</strong></h3>
<figure class="image"><img src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/1739948653052_Kane-Williamson-vs-Shaheen-Afridi.jpeg" alt="Kane Williamson vs Shaheen Afridi" loading="lazy">
<figcaption>Kane Williamson vs Shaheen Afridi (Source: ASIF HASSAN/AFP via Getty Images and ASIF HASSAN/AFP via Getty Images)</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>This is the battle between the best in the business where Shaheen Afridi has been a star with the ball for Pakistan and<strong> <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-players/kane-williamson/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kane Williamson</a></strong> is now one of the legendary figures for the Blackcaps in international cricket. The battle between the elegant Tauranga-born batter and the prolific left-arm seamer will be one of the battles to look forward to.</p>
<p>Speaking of the stats Shaheen Afridi has dismissed Williamson only once in the 50-over format but the batter has still struggled against him a bit as well averaging only 30 against him and with a strike rate of only 60.</p>

The first match of the Champions Trophy is going to take place at the National Stadium in Karachi on Wednesday, February 19. The two teams who will be facing each other will be hosts and defending cha

CT 2025: PAK vs NZ player battles

Champions Trophy 2025: PAK vs NZ, Match 1 - Who will win the key player battles?

Find out the top players who can face each other in batting and bowling attacks during Pakistan vs New Zealand, Match 3, of the Champions Trophy 2025 only on CricTracker.