Watch: Pakistan get major blow in first over of ICC Champions Trophy 2025

Hosts and defending champions Pakistan have got a major blow in the first over of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 as their ICC Champions Trophy 2017 Final hero suffered an injury on the field. 

The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 started with the Group A match between Pakistan and New Zealand at the National Stadium in Karachi on Wednesday (February 19) afternoon. Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan chose to field first after winning the toss.  

As expected Shaheen Shah Afridi delivered the first over of the tournament while Will Young opened the innings along with his partner Devon Conway. Afridi delivered the first ball to Young which resulted in a dot ball. On the second ball of the tournament, Young drove Afridi’s fuller and wider delivery to the cover and ran for three runs. 

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Fakhar Zaman injured

Fakhar Zaman ran to save a boundary but during his fielding, he was injured. He pulled up and immediately signaled for medical attention. He seemed not ok as he went off the field and Kamran Ghulam replaced him on the field. Fakhar was holding his lower back. His injury details will be known soon.

Fakhar Zaman recorded his first ODI century during the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 Final win

If the injury concern becomes serious, it will be very bad news for the defending champions as the 34-year-old left-handed top-order batter is known for his powerful strikes. He was the hero of the Pakistan team when they beat the defending champions India in the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 Final to lift the trophy for the first time. It was his first ODI century as he scored 114 off 106 balls that powered Pakistan to manage a total of 338/4, and they won by 180 runs.