New Zealand Advances to Final with 50-Run Victory Over South Africa

LAHORE, Pakistan — New Zealand secured their spot in the ICC Champions Trophy final after defeating South Africa by 50 runs in the semi-final on March 5, 2025. The match, held in Lahore‘s Gaddafi Stadium, saw New Zealand post a commanding total of 362 runs, setting a challenging target for South Africa.

New Zealand elected to bat first and benefited from stellar performances by Rachin Ravindra and Kane Williamson, who both scored centuries. Ravindra scored 108 runs off 101 balls, while Williamson contributed 102 runs off 94 deliveries. Their partnership of 164 runs laid a robust foundation for New Zealand’s innings.

New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner praised his team’s performance, stating, “It’s a cool feeling to make the final. We were challenged by a good side, but we executed our plans well.” He highlighted the crucial role of the finishers and the bowlers in maintaining pressure on South Africa.

In response, South Africa began their chase slowly but stabilized with contributions from Temba Bavuma (56 runs) and Rassie van der Dussen (69 runs). However, they couldn’t keep up with the required run rate as New Zealand’s spinners and effective bowling from Santner, who took three wickets for 43 runs, created inroads.

The South African innings crumbled during the middle overs, leading to a dramatic collapse as they finished at 312 runs. David Miller attempted to salvage the situation, scoring an impressive 100 runs off 67 balls, but his efforts proved futile. “We had one or two good partnerships but not enough. One of me or VDD needed to go big, which didn’t happen,” Bavuma reflected on the loss.

As South Africa faced increasing pressure, their lower middle order faltered, failing to form substantial partnerships, ultimately bowing out of the tournament. “We backed ourselves to chase 350 but didn’t capitalize on the opportunities that came our way,” Bavuma added, highlighting the challenges against New Zealand’s bowling depth.

The defeat marks another missed opportunity for South Africa in an ICC knockout match, extending a pattern that has seen them frequently fall short in critical matches. New Zealand now looks forward to their encounter against India in the final, with confidence drawn from this emphatic victory.

Post-match, player of the match Rachin Ravindra said, “It’s a great feeling to contribute to an emphatic win in a semi-final. I didn’t start as well as I wanted, but I’m pleased with how I built partnerships.”