Pakistan’s white-ball captain Mohammad Rizwan admitted his side’s shortcomings after a crushing 60-run defeat to New Zealand in the opening match of the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 at National Bank Stadium on Wednesday. 

Speaking at the post-match presentation, Rizwan pinpointed poor execution in the death overs as the key factor behind Pakistan’s loss. He acknowledged that his team did not anticipate New Zealand posting a 320-run total, especially after early breakthroughs. However, the match-defining partnership between centurions Will Young and Tom Latham derailed Pakistan’s plans. 

"We thought we had restricted them to around 260 after taking early wickets, but the Young-Latham stand was crucial," Rizwan admitted. "Our execution in the final overs was not up to the mark, which allowed them to cross 300." 

The Pakistan skipper also shed light on the unavailability of Fakhar Zaman, revealing that his absence at the top order significantly impacted their chase. "We lost momentum twice—first in the death overs while bowling and then in the powerplay while batting. Losing Fakhar as an opener was crucial," Rizwan added. 

Despite Pakistan’s status as the defending champions, Rizwan downplayed the pressure, emphasizing that the upcoming clash against India will be treated like any other game. "We are not thinking about being defending champions. This match is gone, and the next one is just another normal match for us," Rizwan concluded.