New Zealand starter Will Young led Shaheen Afridi through the covers to overcome the painting, with Zaman starting in the search. He cut it before Palmar to Babar Azam to throw him back to the Guardian, but immediately seemed to feel discomfort in the lower back. He pointed out that he needed to be replaced and treated, and left the field with the physio, walking without help from the costumes.
Pakistan was hindered by an injury in Saim Ayub in similar circumstances, one that finally kept him out of the Champions Trophy. In a test against South Africa, he left in search of a ball to the limit, before twisting his ankle. It resulted in a fracture that will keep it out until at least in mid -March. Zaman, who until then was not part of Pakistan’s Odi plans, returned to the replacement of Ayub and had returned impressive, scoring 84 of 598 and 41 of 25 in his first two games on the side.
The game marks the return of the CRICKET of the ICC tournament to Pakistan for the first time since 1996, with large crowds accumulated outside the National Stadium in Karachi in the hours before the beginning. The opening ceremony was attended by the president of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari, and had an Airforce flying parade after the launch, which Pakistan won and asked New Zealand to hit.
