New Zealand’s Strongest XI for CT Opener vs Pakistan
The Champions Trophy 2025 will have New Zealand riding the momentum for a massive win with their Tri-Series win against Pakistan. The Men in Green were defeated twice by the Kiwis, which pushed them to the opening position. They are gearing up for the campaign and the tournament opener to defeat Pakistan once again on 19th February.
The Kiwis are looking to assemble a balanced squad to compete against the best. This article focuses on the predicted playing XI for New Zealand and takes a look at the opening dilemma between Will Young and Devon Conway.
Opening Dilemma – Will Young or Conway?
Will Young, the 32-year-old New Zealand cricketer, has been dragging his feet with scores of single digits 4 and 5 in the tri-series against Pakistan. In place of Young, Devon Conway, the fastest New Zealand batter to 1000 test runs in 2022, will open the match with a strong case of double-digit figures of 48 and 97 during his previous two ODIs. He will be opening alongside Rachin Ravindra, with Young failing to prove it to the world with inconsistent performances. Therefore, Conway will enter to bat early as he proves to be a performer, contributing to creating longer innings.
Rachin Ravindra, who secured the Number 2 spot, was promoted to the open position after his heroic 578 runs during his World Cup at a 106.45 strike rate. However, he struggled with his lethal injury in Pakistan’s tri-series.
Given a quick recovery, he can collaborate with Conway to make foundational runs. Additionally, Kane Williamson has returned from his injury with an 81.62 career striking rate and 14 ODI centuries. He is quite calm in the Number 3 spot, anchoring an early fallout that any peace attack by Pakistan can trigger. He also makes a strong case for his spot, showing potential with a strong average of 56.08 across 24 ODI games that he has played against the Pakistan team.
Middle Order Firepower and Bowling Attack
New Zealand’s middle order is currently anchored by Daryl Mitchell, who is known for his consistency and explosive batting style against Pakistan. He is considered one of the key players with the ability to adapt to various situations and often being vital knocks in huge tournaments with players like Michael Bracewell and Michelle Santner.
Tom Latham remains an essential cog, even though he has not maintained a very good form recently. His experience with the Men in Green has been 25 times with an 84.7 strike rate and 5 fifties. Therefore, his contributions are necessary for the New Zealanders in such a tight game.
Glenn Phillips, the star all-rounder, has destructive prowess and will wrap up the batting lineup for both with bat and ball.
Mitchell Santner, the left-arm spin bowling all-rounder, is capable of making valuable runs in the middle order. He is currently in form, proving to be the team’s worthy leader and scalping five wickets in the Tri-series. Michael Bracewell and Santner can use their similar skill sets to contribute to both batting and bowling in the middle order. The off-spinner was seen to be in decent form with an 8.15 economy rate in the 2024-25 Super Smash.
Get to know more about the lineup and their recent form by following the best cricket betting sites available online.
New Zealand’s Strongest XI for the Champions Trophy Opener
Let’s take a look at the full list of New Zealand strongest XI players in the upcoming 2025 ICC Champions Trophy –
- Rachin Ravindra – Opener
- Devon Conway – Opener
- Kane Williamson – Top Order Batter
- Daryl Mitchell – Middle Order
- Michael Bracewell – All-Rounder
- Mitchell Santner – Captain and All-Rounder
- William O’Rourke – Pace Bowler
- Matt Henry – Pace Bowler
- Lockie Ferguson – Pace Bowler
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