Champions Trophy: NZ beat SA by 50 runs, set up finale meeti
Champions Trophy: NZ beat SA by 50 runs, set up finale meeting with India
New Zealand set up a meeting with India in the final of the 2025 Champions Trophy in Dubai after beating South Africa by 50 runs in the second semifinal
LAHORE — New
Zealand set up a meeting with India in the final of the 2025 Champions Trophy
in Dubai after beating South Africa by 50 runs in the second semifinal at the
Gaddafi Stadium here on Wednesday.
After Rachin Ravindra smashed his fifth ODI hundred and
second ton of the tournament and Kane Williamson notched up his third century
in a row against South Africa to take New Zealand to 362/6, the highest total
in the competition’s history, the Proteas ended up at 312/9, with David Miller's
unbeaten century coming off 67 balls going in vain.
For the Blackcaps, captain Mitchell Santner broke the back
of South Africa’s chase with 3-43, while Glenn Phillips and Matt Henry took two
wickets each. Michael Bracewell and Rachin Ravindra bagged a scalp each as New
Zealand got a clinical win and will now meet India for the second time in this
tournament.
Chasing 363, the in-form Ryan Rickleton began by hitting
four early boundaries before he was undone by Matt Henry’s cutter, and the
leading edge was caught by short-cover in the fifth over. Temba Bavuma was
struggling to get going, as seen from him being three off 18 balls, before
breaking the shackles by hitting a four each off Henry and Kyle Jamieson.
While van der Dussen took two fours off Henry, Bavuma pulled
Jamieson over square leg for six. After the duo took a four each off William
O’Rourke, Bavuma brought up South Africa’s hundred by going inside-out against
Michael Bracewell for four and got his seventh ODI fifty in 64 balls.
Shortly after, van der Dussen brought up his third
consecutive fifty with a single as South Africa’s chase got a stable look,
especially with Bavuma’s catch being dropped by Kane Williamson at short
mid-wicket. But in the 23rd over, Bavuma looked to slice a flighted delivery
from Santner but was caught at backward point for 56. Three overs later,
Santner struck again as he got one to turn enough and castled van der Dussen
for 67. In his next over, he landed a huge blow to South Africa’s chase by
having Heinrich Klaasen pull to Henry at long-on, though he injured himself
after landing on the right shoulder.
From there, South Africa’s slide in the chase began – Rachin
Ravindra held on to a chip from Aiden Markram’s bat off his own bowling, Wiaan
Mulder miscued a slog-sweep to deep square leg off Bracewell and had Marco
Jansen trapped lbw by Glenn Phillips, who later had Keshav Maharaj caught
behind.
Despite Rabada hitting two boundaries in his 22-ball 16 and
David Miller carting bowlers all around the park to complete a century on the
last ball of the innings, it wasn’t enough for South Africa to stop New Zealand
from progressing into the Champions Trophy final.
Brief scores:
New Zealand 362/6 in 50 overs (Rachin Ravindra 108, Kane
Williamson 102; Lungi Ngidi 3-72, Kagiso Rabada 2-70) beat South Africa 312/9
in 50 overs (David Miller 100 not out, Rassie van der Dussen 69, Temba Bavuma
56; Mitchell Santner 3-43, Glenn Phillips 2-27) by 50 runs
