Green Team ready to defend title on home after preparations completed on schedule.
The much-awaited International Cricket Council (ICC) Champions Trophy tournament finally took off today as hosts Pakistan won the toss and opted to field against New Zealand at Karachi’s National Bank Stadium.
Pakistan spent nearly a decade in the wilderness of international cricket after gunmen attacked the Sri Lankan cricket team’s bus in Lahore in 2009, wounding six players. Top teams shunned Pakistan after the attack and it took the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) years to convince foreign counterparts that it was safe to visit.
After losing the hosting rights to the 2009 Champions Trophy, Pakistan was also ruled out as co-hosts of the 2011 World Cup.
All seven teams, except India, will play in Pakistan for the current event in the three major cities.
Excited fans line up outside the stadium
Fans began gathering outside the main gate of the stadium a few hours before the tournament kicked off, excited to witness the Green Shirts perform on their home ground.
Line-ups
Pakistan: Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (C/WK), Salman Ali Agha, Tayyab Tahir. Khushdil Shah, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf and Abrar Ahmed
New Zealand: Devon Conway, Will Young, Kane Williamson, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham (Wk), Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner (C), Nathan Smith, Matt Henry, Will O’Rourke
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