India beat South Africa to face New Zealand in the final
New Zealand achieved a record with centuries and a record partnership from Rachin Ravindra and Kane Williamson. In reply, South Africa, who came out to bat, went into a disaster, and David Miller tried to save it with a devastating century. But by then it was too late, the Proteas lost by a big margin of 50 runs.
The Kiwis reached the final of the tournament after a decade and a half after eliminating South Africa in the second semi-final of the Champions Trophy. The team will face India in the title fight in Dubai on Sunday.
On Wednesday, New Zealand scored a tournament record 362 runs in 50 overs on a batting-friendly wicket in Lahore. In reply, South Africa was running at 157 for 2 after 26 overs. From there, the score became 218 for 8. The Proteas could go up to 312 with Miller’s unbeaten 100 runs off 67 balls.
Rachin Ravindra is the hero of New Zealand’s victory. The left-handed batsman played an innings of 108 runs off 101 balls with 13 fours and one six. Later, he took the crucial wicket of Aiden Markram with a twist of his hand. The man of the match award went to him. The 25-year-old star scored five centuries in all ICC tournaments in his 32-match ODI career. After three centuries in the 2023 World Cup, he scored two in this year’s Champions Trophy. He is the only cricketer to score the first five centuries of his ODI career in all ICC tournaments. His five centuries came in just 13 innings, which is the fastest.
On the other hand, experienced batsman Williamson scored 102 runs off 94 balls with 10 fours and 2 sixes. This is his third consecutive century against South Africa in this edition. The second wicket partnership of these two came to 164 runs, which is the highest for any wicket by New Zealand in the Champions Trophy.
New Zealand today broke Australia’s record set in the current edition. It was in Lahore that Australia scored 356 runs, surpassing England’s record of 351 runs in the group stage. England and Australia broke the record set by New Zealand in 2004. The Kiwis had scored 347 runs against the United States.
New Zealand’s 362 runs today are the third highest in the knockout stages of an ICC ODI tournament. Hosts India had scored a mountain of 397 runs against New Zealand in the semi-finals of the 2023 ODI World Cup. The Kiwis also hold the record for the second highest in the knockout stages of an ICC ODI tournament. The hosts had scored 393 runs against the West Indies in the quarter-finals of the 2015 ODI World Cup in Wellington.
New Zealand won the toss and elected to bat on a soft wicket in Lahore. Rachin Ravindra came out to open the innings with Will Young. Despite losing Young before the team’s fifty, Rachin and Williamson put on a 150-run partnership for the second wicket. New Zealand completed 200 runs in just 32 overs. They scored another 162 runs in the last 18 overs.
Rachin, who hit his fifty off 47 balls, took 93 balls to reach his century. He eventually finished with 108 runs off 101 balls. He hit 13 fours and 1 six. On the other hand, Williamson, who took 61 balls to reach his half-century, scored his next fifty off just 30 balls. He eventually got out for 102 runs off 94 balls with 10 fours and 2 sixes.
Tom Latham, who came in at number five, did not get a run. However, Mitchell and Phillips led the Kiwis to big runs. Mitchell, who was out one run away from fifty in 37 balls, hit 4 fours and 1 six. Phillips, who scored the same, took only 27 balls. Michael Bracewell was dismissed for 16 runs off 12 balls. The Kiwis were restricted to 362 for 6 in the allotted 50 overs.
Lungi Ngidi took the highest wickets among the Proteas bowlers with 3 wickets. Kagiso Rabada took two wickets.
In reply, South Africa were progressing well with fifties from Temba Bavuma and Rassie van der Dussen. However, captain Mitchell Santner dismissed both of them and brought the Kiwis back into the match. Team leader Bavuma scored 56 runs off 71 balls with 4 fours and 1 six. And Dussen played an innings of 69 runs off 66 balls with 4 fours and 2 sixes.
After that, basically the Proteas camp collapsed. Except for David Miller, everyone was busy in the procession of coming and going. The left-hander remained unbeaten until the end with a stormy century. He scored 100 runs off 67 balls with 10 fours and 4 sixes. But due to the failure of others, the team lost by a large margin.
Among the Kiwi bowlers, Santner took 3 wickets. Matt Henry and Glenn Phillips took two wickets each.
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