Devon Conway and fans were evidently left in shock |courtesy - screengrab
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
- Pakistan are playing New Zealand in Karachi
- The 1996 World Cup final was the last ICC tournament match hosted by Pakistan
- Pakistan are hosting the Champions Trophy for the first time
Just minutes before the first match of the 2025 Champions Trophy started, New Zealand players and the crowd at the National Stadium in Karachi appeared to fear the worst. The incident occurred as the Black Caps' opening pair of Devon Conway and Will Young were getting ready to walk out to bat after Pakistan skipper Mohammad Rizwan won the toss and chose to field first.
A video going viral shows Devon Conway ducking in fear during Pakistan's Air Force show ahead of the match starting. As the cameras panned towards the spectators, there was visible tension on their faces as a loud noise stunned the stadium.
Watch here
For those unversed, Pakistanai r-force's Sherdil Squadron put up a special show ahead of the tournament opener, which marks the first ICC tournament in the country in 29 years. The fly-past which featured JF-17 Thunders and F-16 fighter jets made for a visual delight that enthralled the audience.
Pakistan is hosting an ICC tournament for only the third time after the 1987 World Cup and 1996 World Cup, which they co-hosted with India and Sri Lanka (only 1996). Lahore also hosted the final of the 1996 edition in which Sri Lanka defeated Australia.
Pakistan was meant to host the 2008 edition of the Champions Trophy but the tournament was postponed by a year due to security reasons and later hosted by South Africa in 2009.
A terror attack on the Sri Lankan team in Lahore in 2009 resulted in Pakistan being stripped of the hosting rights of the 2011 World Cup. The Asian nation was set to host the tournament alongside India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. The incident also led to no international cricket taking place in the country for six years.
Although Pakistan are sole host of the 2025 Champions Trophy, India's refusal to visit the country due to security concerns has led to a hybrid model being adopted. All matches of the Indian team and the first semi-final will take place in Dubai.
While the final will take place at the Gadaffi Stadium on March 9, if India qualify, the Dubai International Stadium will host the summit clash.
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