LAHORE: New Zealand have stormed into the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 final with a resounding 50-run victory over South Africa, setting up a showdown with India in Dubai on Sunday (starting at 9am GMT).
The Black Caps posted a formidable 362/6, the highest-ever total in the history of the tournament, surpassing the previous record set by England (351/8) against Australia earlier in the competition.
Rachin Ravindra and Kane Williamson played pivotal roles in building the mammoth total, both registering centuries. Ravindra’s 108 off 101 balls was his fifth ODI century, all of which have come in ICC Men’s ODI tournaments.
Williamson’s 102 off 94 deliveries added stability to the innings. The duo’s 180-run partnership was instrumental in setting a commanding target.
Will Young fell early for 17, caught by Aiden Markram off Lungi Ngidi’s bowling. However, Ravindra and Williamson dominated the middle overs, rotating the strike effectively and dispatching boundaries at regular intervals. The stand was finally broken in the 34th over when Ravindra was dismissed by Kagiso Rabada. Tom Latham’s stay was short-lived, contributing just four before being bowled by Rabada.
Daryl Mitchell fell one run short of a half-century, scoring 49 off 37 balls, including four boundaries and a six. Glenn Phillips played a crucial role in the death overs, finishing with an unbeaten 49 off 27 balls, ensuring New Zealand reached a daunting total. Captain Mitchell Santner added the finishing touches, scampering for two runs on the final delivery.
South Africa’s uphill battle
The Proteas’ chase began with promise, but New Zealand’s disciplined bowling attack made inroads at crucial moments. Matt Henry provided the early breakthrough, dismissing opener Ryan Rickelton for 17, caught by Michael Bracewell.
Rassie van der Dussen and Temba Bavuma fought back with a crucial 100-run stand for the second wicket, keeping South Africa in the hunt. Van der Dussen’s aggressive strokeplay and Bavuma’s calculated approach frustrated New Zealand’s bowlers before Santner struck. The Kiwi skipper dismissed both set batters, with Van der Dussen falling for 73 and Bavuma for 58.
Santner wasn’t done yet, as he soon removed Heinrich Klaasen, caught by Henry, leaving South Africa in a precarious position. Aiden Markram attempted to stabilise the innings, scoring 31 off 29 balls, but was undone by a sharp caught-and-bowled effort from Ravindra.
With wickets falling at regular intervals, David Miller emerged as the lone warrior for South Africa. Batting at No. 6, Miller played a valiant knock, smashing a century under immense pressure. His 100-run innings included a mix of controlled aggression and powerful shots, giving South Africa faint hope.
However, with minimal support from the lower order, the Proteas struggled to keep up with the required run rate. Bracewell dismissed Wiaan Mulder, while Glenn Phillips cleaned up the tail, trapping Marco Jansen lbw and inducing Keshav Maharaj to edge behind to Tom Latham.
Phillips continued to impact the match, playing a hand in the dismissal of Kagiso Rabada, who was caught off Henry’s bowling in the 46th over. South Africa’s innings ended at 312/9, falling 50 runs short of the target.
Path to the Final
South Africa had dominated Group B, finishing at the top with two victories, while their match against Australia was washed out. New Zealand, meanwhile, qualified as the second-ranked team from Group A, securing wins over Pakistan and Bangladesh before facing a tough loss to India.
With this commanding victory, New Zealand now prepare to take on India in the highly anticipated final in Dubai, where they will seek redemption for their group stage defeat and aim to lift the Champions Trophy for the first time in their history.