Recent Encounters

Pakistan and New Zealand recently played against each other twice in a tri-series that also featured South Africa. New Zealand emerged victorious both times, including a win in the final against Mohammad Rizwan’s team.

Pakistan vs New Zealand Head-to-Head in ODIs

These two teams have played 118 One-Day Internationals (ODIs) against each other. Pakistan has won 61 times, while New Zealand has claimed victory in 53 matches. One match ended in a tie, and three had no result.

Pakistan vs New Zealand Match Details

Date: Wednesday, February 19, 2025
Time: 2:30 PM IST | 09:00 AM GMT | 01:00 PM Local
Venue: National Stadium, Karachi

Predicted Playing XIs

Pakistan’s Possible XI:

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

New Zealand’s Possible XI:

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

Pitch & Weather Report

The National Stadium in Karachi has produced two types of surfaces recently. One has been batting-friendly, where Pakistan successfully chased down 353 runs against South Africa. The other has been more bowler-friendly, where Pakistan struggled to reach 242 in the final, and New Zealand needed 45 overs to chase it down while losing five wickets.

Considering past trends, the pitch is likely to offer assistance to bowlers, especially with some grip and bounce, making stroke play challenging.

Dream11 Captaincy Pick

Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan is an excellent choice for Dream11 captaincy in this match. Rizwan has been outstanding in ODIs in Karachi, scoring 415 runs in eight innings at an average of 69, including a century and two fifties. His consistency at No. 4 in ODIs—averaging 51 after 47 innings with four centuries and 11 fifties—makes him a strong pick. Additionally, his wicketkeeping skills can earn extra fantasy points.

3 Key Players to Watch

1⃣ Mohammad Rizwan (Pakistan) – Dependable batsman and wicketkeeper.
2⃣ Mitchell Santner (New Zealand) – Experienced all-rounder and captain.
3⃣ Kane Williamson (New Zealand) – Key batter with a solid track record.

PAK vs NZ Match Prediction

Looking at current form and past performances, New Zealand is likely to win the opening match of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 against Pakistan.

Get the Latest ICC Champions Trophy Updates at CriceXtra. Also, Follow Our Social Media for Live Sports Updates – Facebook, Instagram, Threads & X {Twitter}.

Unfortunately, both teams are already out of the semi-final race after losing to India and New Zealand. This makes the match a dead rubber, but both sides will still be looking to end their campaign on a high note.

• Pakistan had a disappointing tournament, especially with their batting.
• Bangladesh showed good fight with the ball but struggled to close out games.

This is also a chance for Bangladesh to beat Pakistan in an ICC ODI tournament for the first time since 1999.

Pakistan vs Bangladesh – Head-to-Head in ODIs

• Total Matches: 39
• Pakistan Wins: 34
• Bangladesh Wins: 5

Pakistan has a dominant record over Bangladesh in ODIs, but history won’t matter on the day.

Match Details – PAK vs BAN, ICC Champions Trophy 2025

Date: February 27, Thursday
Time: 2:30 PM IST | 09:00 AM GMT | 01:00 PM LOCAL
Venue: Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi

Predicted Playing XIs

Pakistan’s Possible XI:

Kamran Ghulam, Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (c & wk), Salman Agha, Usman Khan, Khushdil Shah, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Hasnain, Abrar Ahmed.

Bangladesh’s Possible XI:

Tanzid Hasan, Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Towhid Hridoy, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Nasum Ahmed, Jaker Ali, Rishad Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Nahid Rana, Tanzim Hasan Sakib.

Pitch Report – Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium

Rawalpindi usually favors batsmen, but in the New Zealand vs Bangladesh match, the pitch was slow and tricky for scoring.

• The surface had low bounce and grip, helping bowlers.
• Michael Bracewell took 4 wickets for 26 runs in the last game here.

If similar conditions continue, bowlers could have an edge again.

Dream11 Captaincy Pick – Babar Azam

• Babar Azam is the best Dream11 captaincy choice for this match.
• He showed signs of returning to form against India but couldn’t convert his start.
• His ODI record in Rawalpindi is outstanding:
  • 5 innings, 335 runs, average of 83
  • 1 century and 2 fifties

Against Bangladesh’s bowling attack, he might finally play a big knock.

Players to Watch Out For

1⃣ Babar Azam – Pakistan’s best batsman, looking to make an impact.
2⃣ Saud Shakeel – A talented middle-order player who can stabilize the innings.
3⃣ Nahid Rana – A rising fast bowler who could trouble Pakistan’s batting lineup.

PAK vs BAN Match Prediction – Who Will Win?

Pakistan has a better overall record and home advantage. They will be eager to avoid a winless tournament in front of their fans.

PAK vs BAN Dream11 Prediction: Pakistan to defeat Bangladesh in Match 9.

Get the Latest ICC Champions Trophy Updates at CriceXtra. Also, Follow Our Social Media for Live Sports Updates – Facebook, Instagram, Threads & X {Twitter}.

Current Form – A Mixed Start for Both Teams

• India started their campaign with a solid six-wicket win over Bangladesh.
• Pakistan, on the other hand, suffered a 60-run defeat against New Zealand in their opening match.

India vs Pakistan – Head-to-Head in ODIs

• Total Matches: 135
• Pakistan Wins: 73
• India Wins: 57
• No Result Matches: 5

Pakistan has historically dominated India in ODIs, but the recent record tells a different story. Since 2013, India has beaten Pakistan nine times in ODIs, while Pakistan has won only three matches.

Match Details – IND vs PAK, ICC Champions Trophy 2025

Date: February 23, Sunday
Time: 2:30 PM IST | 09:00 AM GMT | 01:00 PM LOCAL
Venue: Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai

Predicted Playing XIs

India’s Possible XI:

Shubman Gill, Rohit Sharma (c), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Axar Patel, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav.

Pakistan’s Possible XI:

Kamran Ghulam, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan (c & wk), Saud Shakeel, Salman Agha, Tayyab Tahir, Khushdil Shah, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed, Naseem Shah.

Pitch Report – Dubai International Cricket Stadium

The pitch in Dubai is known for being slow and challenging for batters. It offers plenty of help to spinners and makes shot-making difficult. In the last match here, India took 46.3 overs to chase 229 runs, showing how tough batting can be.

Dream11 Captaincy Pick – Shubman Gill

• Shubman Gill is a top captaincy choice for Dream11 in this match.
• If he survives the early challenge from Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah, he can play a match-winning innings.
• He has been in great form, scoring two centuries and two fifties in his last four ODI knocks, all of which India won.
• Against Bangladesh, he played brilliantly on this slow pitch and showed his class with a century.

Players to Watch Out For

1⃣ Shubman Gill – India’s top-order batter who can control the game.
2⃣ Mohammed Shami – India’s experienced pacer, dangerous with the ball.
3⃣ Naseem Shah – Pakistan’s young fast bowler, known for his wicket-taking ability.

Match Prediction – Who Will Win?

This is expected to be a high-pressure match, with both teams eager for a win. However, based on current form and recent history, India has the edge over Pakistan in ODIs.

PAK vs IND Dream11 Prediction: India to win against Pakistan in Match 5.

Get the Latest ICC Champions Trophy Updates at CriceXtra. Also, Follow Our Social Media for Live Sports Updates – Facebook, Instagram, Threads & X {Twitter}.