Follow UsPakistan won the toss and opted to bowl in the curtain-raiser against New Zealand in the Champions Trophy, and Mohammad Rizwan’s reasoning was the presence of dew in the evening.
So despite conceding 320 with the ball, Pakistan were expected to come out all guns blazing in the chase. Fakhar Zaman was ineligible to open having spent a lot of time off the field due to an internal injury, but, even then, the trio of Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel and Mohammad Rizwan were expected to put the Kiwi bowlers on the backfoot with the field up.
However, what ended up unfolding was an utterly dismal showing from the aforementioned trio, as Pakistan ended up scoring all of 22 runs in the powerplay.
Shakeel 6 off 19, Rizwan 3 off 14 and Babar 12 off 27 showed zero intent to leave both the crowd and the commentators in utter disbelief.
The 22/2 posted by Pakistan at the end of the 10th over is the lowest powerplay score posted by any team in the Champions Trophy in 12 years. Incidentally, Pakistan’s 18/2 against South Africa in the 2013 edition was the last time a team scored 22 runs or fewer in the powerplay in the Champions Trophy.
Australia 18/2 vs New Zealand in 2009
Pakistan 18/2 vs South Africa in 2013
England 21/3 vs India in 2006
Pakistan 21/1 vs West Indies in 2004
Pakistan 22/2 vs New Zealand in 2025
*four other instances of teams scoring exactly 22 have been excluded
This is Pakistan’s third-lowest powerplay total ever in Champions Trophy history
18/2 vs SA, Birmingham, 2013
21/1 vs WI, Southampton, 2004
22/2 vs NZ, Karachi, 2025
23/3 vs WI, The Oval, 2013
To add insult to injury, after managing just 3 runs off his first 13 balls, Rizwan got out on the very final ball of the powerplay courtesy a stunning catch from Glenn Phillips at point.