WATCH: ICC shares heartbreaking clip of Fakhar Zaman in tears during CT 2025 opener

Pakistan’s ICC Champions Trophy 2025 campaign got off to a disappointing start with a 60-run defeat against New Zealand in their opening match on Wednesday at the National Bank cricket Stadium in Karachi.

Adding to their woes, opening batter Fakhar Zaman suffered an injury during the game and has been ruled out for the remainder of the tournament.

Fakhar sustained the injury on the second ball of the match while attempting to prevent a boundary. Will Young drove a shot through the covers off Shaheen Afridi’s delivery, prompting Fakhar to sprint from mid-off and palm the ball back.

However, his knees got stuck in the outfield, leaving him in visible discomfort.

After receiving on-field treatment, the left-handed batter was forced to leave the field and spent most of New Zealand’s innings off the ground.

Moreover, he was unable to open Pakistan’s innings. 

Instead, he batted at number four following skipper Mohammad Rizwan’s dismissal during the run chase. 

Despite battling severe discomfort, Fakhar showed resilience but struggled to rotate the strike, managing 24 runs off 41 balls before being dismissed by Michael Bracewell.

A video shared by the International Cricket Council (ICC) tagging the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Instagram showed Fakhar limping to the dressing room, where he broke down in tears. 

His teammate Shaheen Shah Afridi was seen consoling him, but the heartbreak was evident. The video quickly went viral on social media.

“Heartbreaking visuals from Karachi after Fakhar Zaman was forced out of #ChampionsTrophy 2025 with an injury 😢 📽️: @therealpcb,” read the caption.

The 34-year-old made his mark in international cricket with a match-winning 114-run knock in the 2017 Champions Trophy final against India, playing a crucial role in Pakistan’s 180-run victory.

The Pakistan Cricket Board named Imam-ul-Haq as Fakhar’s replacement for the remainder of the tournament.

Imam has accumulated 3,138 runs in 72 ODIs at an average of 48.27 and a strike rate of 82.56, with nine centuries and 20 half-centuries. His last ODI appearance for Pakistan was in the 2023 World Cup against South Africa at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.

The Mohammad Rizwan-led side will now face arch-rivals India in their next match at the Dubai International Stadium. The fixture is a must-win for Pakistan to stay in the tournament.

A defeat would leave them dependent on victories against Bangladesh while hoping India and Bangladesh defeat New Zealand.