Fakhar Zaman leaves the field after getting injured in first over of PAK vs NZ match of 2025 Champions Trophy [Watch]

The Pakistan cricket team seems to have suffered an early injury scare as opening batter Fakhar Zaman left the field holding his lower back in the Champions Trophy 2025 opener (February 19) against New Zealand at the National Stadium in Karachi. In a video that surfaced on social media, the left-handed batter walked off the field to sit beyond the boundary rope.

The moment occurred in the second ball of the very first over bowled by Shaheen Shah Afridi. Will Young drove to the cover region and Zaman chased the ball, thereby managing to prevent it from going to the boundary.

Nevertheless, he seemed to have pulled his lower back and was sitting near the advertising board, causing Pakistan to call in for a substitute fielder.

You can view the incident below:

Pakistan skipper Mohammad Rizwan won the toss and elected to field first in Karachi. The hosts are under the pump against New Zealand, who defeated the Men in Green twice in the preceding tri-series which also featured South Africa, to lift the trophy.

Fakhar Zaman was the Player of the Match in the 2017 Champions Trophy final

Fakhar Zaman. (Image Credits: Getty)

The southpaw had announced himself to the world in the previous edition of the Champions Trophy final against arch-rivals India at The Oval in London. While Jasprit Bumrah had him nicking off to the keeper cheaply early in the innings in that final, the right-arm speedster had overstepped, making it a no-ball.

Zaman went on to punish the Men in Blue, smashing 114 to lift their side to 338/4 in 50 overs. Later, Mohammad Amir and Junaid Khan bowled incisive spells to skittle India for 158, fashioning a 180-run victory.

The 34-year-old was recalled to Pakistan's squad for the tri-series and the Champions Trophy, months after spending on the sidelines. Nevertheless, the veteran's performance was underwhelming in the tri-series, registering scores of 84, 41 and 10 while his side failed to win the title.

Ahead of the tri-series, Mohammad Rizwan and Co. had registered historic away ODI series wins over Australia and South Africa.