Kane Williamson recalls New Zealand’s rivalry with Pakistan ahead of Champions Trophy opener

New Delhi [India], February 18 (ANI): New Zealand stalwart Kane Williamson took a trip down memory lane before the Champions Trophy opener and reminisced about his past encounter against Pakistan in Karachi.

After squaring off against the defending champions, Pakistan, in the ODI tri-nation series twice and sailing to victory on both occasions, New Zealand will face the Men in Green in the tournament opener on Wednesday.

Before taking the field in Karachi, Williamson recalled the cherished memories he had forged against Pakistan in recent years.

In a video posted by the ICC on Instagram on Tuesday, Willamson watched a clip of his mind-boggling catch to dismiss Pakistan opener Abdullah Shafique in the 2023 World Cup in India.

“In the moment, you’re just trying to focus on what’s important, where you need to be and try to get there as quickly as possible and keep your head nice and still and hope that it goes in, and on that occasion, it did,” Williamson said in a video posted by the ICC.

With his eyes fixated on the ball, Williamson sprinted back and took a stunning diving catch, showcasing a remarkable piece of athleticism.

“It was nice to be back on the field. A finger injury felt insignificant compared to a knee injury, which took six months to recover from. Taking that catch, I kind of dug into the ground,” he added.

It was a high-stakes clash between New Zealand and Pakistan in the 2023 ODI World Cup in Bengaluru. New Zealand had sailed to a mammoth 401/6, courtesy of Rachin Ravindra’s fiery 108(94).

However, Fakhar Zaman’s scorching 126* kept Pakistan ahead of the DLS target before rain intervened in the mouth-watering affair. Williamson recalled the high-pressure match and felt rain had played a decisive role as Pakistan pulled off a 21-run victory via the DLS method.

“An incredible game that actually. Rain-affected, and we ended up getting 400, and then the shortened match, Pakistan chased it down,” he recalled.

In their recent encounters, New Zealand have edged out the Champions Trophy defending champions twice in a space of seven days. During the ODI tri-nation series, Glenn Phillips delivered a swift unbeaten 106-run blitzkrieg to lift the Kiwis to a comfortable 78-run triumph.

In the final, the Blackcaps chased down a modest 243-run target in Karachit to take the title away from the hosts. As both teams bolster their preparations to square off against each other in the Champions Trophy tournament opener on Wednesday, New Zealand will look to draw some confidence from their past stories of success.