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Lahore’s M.M. Alam Road, just a few kilometers from the iconic Gaddafi Stadium, was unusually quiet as the city braced for the ICC Champions Trophy semi-final between South Africa and New Zealand. Despite the lack of early buzz, the atmosphere picked up after Iftar as crowds gathered for an exciting contest at one of Pakistan’s most historic venues.
New Zealand, however, brought the intensity to the field, securing a convincing 50-run victory and a spot in the final. They posted a formidable total of 362 for 6, with impressive centuries from Rachin Ravindra and Kane Williamson, before their spinners wrecked South Africa’s chase. Despite a brave century from David Miller, South Africa could only manage 312 for 9.
The pitch, playing more like a batting paradise than a traditional cricket surface, saw both teams’ batters flourish. New Zealand set the tone early, with Ravindra and Williamson sharing a dominant 189-run partnership. Ravindra top-scored with 108 off 101 balls, while Williamson contributed 102 off 94. Glenn Phillips added a quickfire 49* from 27 balls to finish their innings with a flourish.
South Africa’s chase began solidly, but their middle-order crumbled as New Zealand’s spinners took control. Captain Mitchell Santner was the key, spinning his way through the batting line-up with a brilliant seven-over spell. Santner dismissed Temba Bavuma (56), Rassie van der Dussen (69), and Heinrich Klaasen (3), conceding just 29 runs. Rachin Ravindra also played a crucial role, removing Aiden Markram (31), while Phillips and Michael Bracewell supported with timely wickets.
Though Miller stood firm with an unbeaten 100, his efforts weren’t enough to mount a serious challenge. South Africa finished their innings at 312 for 9, falling well short of New Zealand’s massive total.
Earlier, after losing Will Young for 17, Ravindra and Williamson dominated the South African bowlers. Ravindra’s knock was his fifth century in ICC events, while Williamson’s century marked his 15th in international cricket. Kagiso Rabada and Wiaan Mulder claimed the key wickets, but it wasn’t enough to stop New Zealand’s momentum.
Despite the best efforts of Marco Jansen and Lungi Ngidi, who claimed two wickets each, South Africa was unable to prevent New Zealand from cruising to a comprehensive victory.
