India, Feb. 18 -- The 2025 Champions Trophy starts off with hosts and defending champions Pakistan facing New Zealand at the National Stadium in Karachi. These two sides faced each other just days earlier in the final of a tri-series tournament that ended up being a dry-run for this very event, having been held at the same venue as well.

Judging by the form exhibited by the two sides in that match and that series overall, New Zealand can feel very good about their chances indeed. Pakistan, on the other hand, have a few worries to deal with as one defeat in the Champions Trohy is enought for a side's chances of progression to plummet.

Pakistan and New Zealand first faced off in ODI's in a bilateral standalone match on February 11, 1973. ...