Champions Trophy 2025: New Zealand Beat South Africa By 50 Runs, Secure Final Spot: New Zealand marched past South Africa in the second semi-final of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, through a dominant batting performance coupled with disciplined bowling by 50 runs. This victory ensured that the Black Caps reached the final of the tournament, where they will battle it against India: a highly anticipated fireworks shot in Dubai.
Champions Trophy 2025 Semi-final 2: NZ vs SA Match Summary
New Zealand’s innings
They put up 362/6 runs, batting first for the tournament’s highest total. Rachin Ravindra and Kane Williamson laid the gambit out: they scored smashing centuries and built the match-changing 164-run partnership. Well-composed yet aggressive batting made mincemeat of the South African bowling and paved the way to a powerful finish. Daryl Mitchell (49) and Glenn Phillips (49) were responsible for valuable late-order fireworks, taking the New Zealand total beyond the reach of South Africa.
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South Africa’s innings
South Africa’s chances were already dashed when they could not get off early with the loss of wickets at intervals. Temba Bavuma and Rassie van der Dussen staged a valuable comeback, but it was the thrilling David Miller, who made an unbeaten 100 in just 67 balls, that made the Proteas believe again. However, with captain Mitchell Santner (3/43) leading up the disciplined bowling attack for New Zealand, South Africa finished at 312/9 on the scoreboard.
Santner reflected on the game by praising the crucial partnership created by Ravindra and Williamson and emphasizing the need to create such hurdles while setting a target. He also poured accolades onto his bowlers for their disciplined bowling against a very strong South African lineup. On the other side, Bavuma would have liked to have different parts in a complete performance, but his players were lacking decent partnerships to chase.
This victory takes New Zealand to the final to face India in Dubai. There is, however, a logistical complication since political tensions have dictated venue choices across the tournament.
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South Africa and New Zealand playing 11
South Africa: Ryan Rickelton, Temba Bavuma (c), Rassie van der Dussen, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), David Miller, Marco Jansen, George Linde, Wiaan Mulder, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi.
New Zealand: Will Young, Devon Conway, Kane Williamson, Rachin Ravindra, Tom Latham (wk), Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner (c), Nathan Smith, Matt Henry, Will O’Rourke.
