![Babar Azam could be Pakistan's key player vs NZ [Source: AP]](https://onecricketnews.akamaized.net/parth-editor/oc-dashboard/news-images-prod/1739884964460_babar_CT_NZ.jpg?type=mq)
Babar Azam could be Pakistan's key player vs NZ [Source: AP]
Pakistan will kickstart their ICC Champions Trophy 2025 campaign on Wednesday, February 19, at the National Stadium in Karachi. Led by Mohammad Rizwan, the hosts will lock horns with New Zealand in a high-profile encounter.
From Pakistan's perspective, all eyes will be on Babar Azam, who is expected to spearhead their batting department in this match. On the contrary, New Zealand would need someone to step up and dismiss Babar early, considering he has been one of Pakistan's top performers against them, amassing 945 runs at a superb average of 47.25.
Thus, as a cracking encounter awaits us, let's analyse which New Zealand bowlers could be genuine threats to Babar Azam in this match.
Babar Azam's ODI Record vs NZ's Expected Bowling Attack
New Zealand's bowling attack will potentially comprise Matt Henry, Will O'Rourke, Jacob Duffy, Mitchell Santner and Michael Bracewell, unless there's no last-minute injury concern. Let's see how Babar Azam has performed against these bowlers.
| Bowler Name | Runs | Dismissals | Average/SR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matt Henry | 81 | 3 | 27/65.9 |
| William O'Rourke | 12 | 0 | NA/80 |
| Jacob Duffy | 17 | 0 | NA/100 |
| Mitchell Santner | 125 | 0 | NA/86.8 |
| Michael Bracewell | 33 | 2 | 16.5/54.1 |
As shown in the above table, Babar Azam has recorded absolutely magnificent numbers against William O'Rourke, Jacob Duffy and Mitchell Santner. These bowlers haven't dismissed Babar a single time in ODIs.
However, the Lahore-born cricketer has struggled to get going against Matt Henry and Michael Bracewell, who have collectively got rid of him five times in ODI cricket.
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Michael Bracwell: A Bigger Threat To Babar Azam?
If we dive deeper, we can determine that although Matt Henry has got rid of Babar thrice in ODIs and T20Is combined, Bracewell could be the bigger threat for him in this match. The off-spinner has dismissed Babar six times, including four times in T20Is, as the batter averages only 10.5 against the former RCB bowler in white-ball cricket.
Babar Azam's Record vs right-arm off-spin since 2022
| Format | Runs | Dismissals | Average/SR |
|---|---|---|---|
| ODIs | 240 | 8 | 30/67.4 |
| T20Is | 86 | 7 | 12.3/128.4 |
| Overall | 326 | 15 | 21.73/77.06 |
Apart from their head to head stats, Babar's poor record against right-arm off-spinners in white-ball cricket since 2022 is another factor that establishes Michael Bracewell as his potential nemesis in the first match of the Champions Trophy.
Conclusion
Thus, Matt Henry and Michael Bracewell are expected to be New Zealand's go-to bowling weapons against Babar Azam. While Henry can challenge Babar with his accuracy around the fourth-stump line, Bracewell could be an even bigger threat to him, considering how he has outfoxed the Pakistan batter with his guile from time to time.
 "Debashis Sarangi")
