Fakhar Zaman was in discomfort after trying to save a boundary off the second ball of the Champions Trophy opener
Pakistan chose to bowl in the Champions Trophy opener against New Zealand • ICC/Getty Images
New Zealand opener Will Young drove Shaheen Afridi through the covers to beat the infield, with Zaman setting off in pursuit. He cut it off before palming it over to Babar Azam to throw it back to the keeper, but immediately appeared to feel discomfort in his lower back. He signalled that he needed to be replaced, and went off the field with the physio, though he walked unaided back to the dressing room.
Pakistan were hampered by an injury to Saim Ayub in similar circumstances, one that ultimately kept him out of the Champions Trophy. In a Test against South Africa, he set off in pursuit of a ball to the boundary and ended up twisting his ankle. It resulted in a fracture that will keep him out until at least the middle of March. Fakhar, who until then wasn’t part of Pakistan’s ODI plans, came back into the side as Ayub’s replacement, and made an impressive return, scoring 84 off 69 and 41 off 28 in his first two matches back in the side.
Pakistan did, however, get a fitness-related boost before the game with Haris Rauf fit enough to start. He had pulled up with a side strain in the opening game of the triangular series these two sides took part in over the last fortnight along with South Africa. That day had also seen a New Zealand player struck down with injury, when Rachin Ravindra lost the trajectory of a hit while fielding at the boundary, which ended up hitting him flush on the forehead. He needed stitches, and though he trained yesterday and New Zealand have said that has he showed no signs of delayed concussion, he did not play against Pakistan. He was seen running drinks to New Zealand’s batters, though.
The game marks the return of ICC tournament cricket to Pakistan after 1996, with huge crowds building up outside the National Stadium in Karachi in the hours before the start. The opening ceremony was attended by Pakistan’s president Asif Ali Zardari and had an air force fly-past parade after the toss, which Pakistan won and asked New Zealand to bat.
Danyal Rasool is ESPNcricinfo’s Pakistan correspondent. @Danny61000
