Watch cricket video highlights of Champion’s Trophy 2025 Second Semi-Final 2025. Between New Zealand and South Africa. Venue of the match will be Lahore.
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New Zealand has reached their seventh ICC final and fourth in the ODI format, setting a record for the highest score in Champions Trophy history and defeating South Africa by 50 runs in their semi-final held in Lahore. They are set to face India in the final on Sunday in Dubai, building on a significant boost in confidence following their dominant victory. Rachin Ravindra achieved his fifth ODI century, with all of them being scored during ICC events, while Kane Williamson notched up his third consecutive century against South Africa.
Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips contributed with scores of 49 each, off 37 and 27 balls respectively, leading New Zealand to a total of 326 for 6. Captain Mitchell Santner played a key role in defending that total, claiming 3 for 43, which included the wickets of South Africa’s captain Temba Bavuma, their reliable No.3 Rassie van der Dussen, and their most dangerous batsman Heinrich Klaasen, allowing New Zealand to defend their score successfully and advance to the final.
The contest had long been decided by the 47th over of South Africa’s pursuit, with David Miller on 52 and only No. 11 Lungi Ngidi left to support him. Nonetheless, there was just enough time for Miller to control the strike, face all 18 remaining deliveries, and secure a century in 67 balls off the final delivery of the game. This marks New Zealand’s fifth victory in a semi-final at an ICC ODI tournament, while South Africa has suffered defeat in nine out of 11, managing to win only once; their quest for a second major title since the inaugural Champions Trophy in 1998 continues.
While much attention may be directed at South Africa’s batting, given their failure to win any of the five semi-finals they have attempted to chase, this time the defeat occurred in the field. Their bowling performance was surprisingly lackluster as they missed the chance to exploit early swing, bowled too many pace-heavy deliveries despite recognizing the effectiveness of pace-off, and dropped two catches.
Lungi Ngidi stood out as their best bowler, effectively using slower balls, taking the early wicket of Will Young with the new ball and the crucial wicket of Mitchell later, whereas both Marco Jansen and Keshav Maharaj failed to take any wickets. In simple terms, South Africa was no match for the duo of Ravindra and Williamson, characterized by bravery and composure, who established New Zealand’s highest Champions Trophy partnership of 164 for the second wicket and complemented each other seamlessly.
Although both might argue they didn’t play their most fluent innings, they tackled a flat pitch in contrasting ways, particularly regarding their scoring tempo, which kept South Africa in suspense. Ravindra maintained a strike rate exceeding 100 throughout his innings to apply pressure on the bowlers, while Williamson took his time to secure his half-century (in 61 balls) before needing only 30 more deliveries to reach his century.
After winning the toss, Santner opted to bat first, hoping that the breeze would help mitigate the risk of dew later in the evening and create scoreboard pressure on South Africa. He was correct on both counts. New Zealand began in a shaky manner when Young edged a ball from Ngidi over Jansen at slip, but they soon regained their rhythm. Ravindra took the lead, punishing Jansen’s short deliveries.
He pulled a bouncer through square leg and then struck three fours off him in his fourth over, hitting through cover, midwicket, and extra cover, leaving Jansen unsure whether to bowl a cutter, a full ball, or a bouncer. Ngidi halted the flow of runs by having Young caught at mid-off, and New Zealand concluded the first powerplay at 56 for 1. Williamson scored 11 runs off his first 14 balls before Rabada bowled a magnificent maiden over, consistently keeping him alert with variations in pace and length, and Williamson was content to wait.
Ravindra reached his half-century in the 18th over off 47 balls, hitting Wiaan Mulder for three fours. South Africa introduced Maharaj in the 17th over, and his initial four overs were economical, allowing just 14 runs, until Ravindra chose to attack him. Although he was not completely in command when he fetched a ball from outside off to hit it towards long-on, he then charged in and smashed a straight six off the next delivery.
That over cost 13 runs, while Maharaj’s following one yielded 12, prompting him to be replaced by Ngidi, who nearly achieved a crucial breakthrough. Williamson, on 56, sliced at the last delivery of that over, Ngidi’s sixth, and got a significant edge, but Klaasen, diving one-handed to his right, was unable to make the catch. Ngidi also troubled Ravindra, beating him outside off in his next over. He was on 97 when South Africa unsuccessfully reviewed for a caught-behind.
Ravindra then went on to score his century off Rabada in the subsequent over, needing 93 balls to do so. New Zealand also crossed the 200-run mark in that over, the 32nd, with Rabada conceding 17 runs as Williamson accelerated his scoring. He was on 80 runs from 77 balls when Ravindra was caught behind off Rabada, taking another 14 deliveries to reach his century with a ramp shot off Mulder. The same shot failed to work later in the over, and Williamson was caught on the leg side, but New Zealand had set a solid foundation to score heavily.
After 40 overs, they were 252 for 3, but Jansen and Rabada restricted the scoring, managing four overs for 27 runs and claiming the wicket of Tom Latham. Then, chaos ensued. Mitchell smashed Ngidi for a six and two fours, while Phillips hit four consecutive fours off Jansen’s second-to-last over, and New Zealand was off to the races. They amassed 83 runs in the final six overs, surpassing 360 and leaving South Africa with a daunting task ahead. At least one of their innings began at a slow pace.
When Ryan Rickelton was dismissed for 17 off 11, Bavuma was struggling with just 3 runs from 17 balls. He continued to find it difficult, reaching 10 off 24 before unleashing his true potential. In the ninth over, he advanced down the pitch against Matt Henry and struck over mid-off, and in the tenth, he hooked Kyle Jamieson for a six behind square. South Africa managed to salvage the first powerplay, completing it at 56 for 1, matching New Zealand’s score exactly.
Alongside the in-form van der Dussen, Bavuma showed an ability to accelerate the innings as the pair formed a threatening partnership. They attacked the spinners, with both players achieving their fifties in consecutive overs from Michael Bracewell, and their partnership swelled to 105 before Bavuma became Santner’s first wicket. Attempting to hit his counterpart over cover, he was deceived by the flight and ended up miscuing the ball to Kane Williamson at backward point. Nevertheless, South Africa was still on course.
New Zealand had been 143 for 1 at the halfway mark; South Africa was at 143 for 2. However, Santner was to have the last word. He bowled van der Dussen with a quicker delivery that straightened past his edge as he tried to work it into the leg side, and soon after had Klaasen caught by Henry, who dove forward at long-on. Henry fell awkwardly onto his right shoulder and exited the field in pain, which caused New Zealand to rely on Ravindra as a sixth bowler. This move paid off when Aiden Markram hit a catch back to him that he took right in front of his face.
South Africa required 170 runs from the final 15 overs with five wickets remaining. Even with Miller still batting, that assessment seemed spot on. Miller played through to the end and registered his seventh ODI century off the last ball of the match. His cradle celebration seemed to dedicate the achievement to his one-month-old son Benji, but like his century in the 2023 ODI World Cup semi-final, it might have left him feeling “a bit hollow.” South Africa could share that feeling with yet another missed chance at a trophy, while for New Zealand, who last secured an ICC ODI trophy in 2000, the dream continues.
