New Zealand bank on Karachi familiarity ahead of Champions Trophy opener

The perennial dark horses of an ICC tournament, New Zealand are eager to go one step further. Currently flying high, the New Zealanders come into the tournament with the tri-series victory under the belt. Having beaten Pakistan twice last week, they face the same opposition in the Champions Trophy opener.

New Zealand chased down 305 against Afghanistan in the warm-up game as they continue to go from strength to strength. Captain Mitchell Santner and Michael Bracewell conceded only 58 runs in 20 overs in the tri-series final against the hosts, throughout the middle overs.

The spinners were credited for restricting the scoring rate and heaping the pressure on the opposition. Captain Tom Latham praised the bowlers, saying they were able to control the run rate and put pressure on the middle order.

New Zealand arrived in Pakistan on February 3 in the lead-up to the tri-series and spent most of their time in Karachi, sealing the tri-series win in the same venue. Latham admitted that understanding the conditions before any major tournament was vital to eliminate any surprises.

The team hasn't finalised their Playing XI yet, with Lockie Ferguson's replacement Kyle Jamieson unavailable for the opening match. All-rounder Rachin Ravindra, who suffered a nasty head injury, will train tonight and his recovery is going well.