South Africa vs New Zealand Highlights, Champions Trophy 2025 semifinal: NZ beats SA by 50 runs to book final berth

South Africa vs New Zealand Highlights, Champions Trophy 2025 semifinal: NZ beats SA by 50 runs to book final berth

Four!! Jamieson goes full and wide, Miller clears short third and finds the fence. Four!! Miller pulls a short ball of one hand and finds the fence at deep fine. Six!! Slower ball short of a length, pummelled over the fence for six. Hundred for Miller!! Last ball of the match, Miller goes downtown and completes a double. Inspiring knock but the game had drifted away from the Proteas quite a while ago. New Zealand will play India in the Champions Trophy 2025 final on Sunday.

Four!! O’Rourke overpitches outside off, Miller lofts it through cover for a boundary. Four!! Back of a length slower one, lofted over short third for another four. O’Rourke misses a chance to run out Ngidi at the non-striker’s. Four!! Another short ball, Miller pulls it through deep fine for a single. 

Six!! Jamieson into the attack. Short ball, pulled over midwicket for six! Four!! Full toss outside off, edged past the keeper to the boundary. Mistimes the next one, just beats the fielder running backwards from point. Six!! Short ball again, Miller connects another pull, finds the ropes. 

Miller connects a pull against O’ Rourke, no elevation on it though, falls short of Rachin at square leg. Four!! Miller whacks a length ball back past the bowler to the fence for a boundary. Fifty for Miller!

WICKET!! Slower ball from Henry, Rabada pulls it straight to the fielder at deep midwicket. 

Kagiso Rabada c Phillips b Henry 16 (22)

Six runs from the over. 

Four!! Santner to Rabada, brings out the slog sweep to beat the deep fielders and find the boundary. Four!! Lofts one straight back over the bowler’s head for another boundary. 

Matt Henry back into the attack. Short ball, pulled to deep midwicket by Miller for one. Five singles from the over. 

Santner again. Tosses one up extremely slowly, Miller readjusts and defends. Three runs from the over. 

Six!! Miller lofts a length ball from Phillips over midwicket for six! Four!! Fired in wide of off, clubbed over cover for a boundary. 11 from the over. 

Santner returns. A quicker one on the stumps, Rabada manages to keep it out. Three runs from the over. 

WICKET!! Phillips bowls an innocuous ball down leg side but Maharaj edges it to the keeper. 

Keshav Maharaj c †Latham b Phillips 1 (4)

Rabada in at 10. Six runs from the over. 

Ravindra continues. Miller clips one through square leg for two. Five from the over. 

Glenn Philipps into the attack. Jansen brings out the reverse sweep and gets a single to third man. Six!! A touch too short, Miller rocks back and pulls over midwicket for six. Appeals for lbw after Jansen misses a reverse sweep. Santner goes up for a review. Three reds and Jansen departs.

Marco Jansen lbw b Phillips 3 (7)

Ravindra continues. Just two runs from the over. 

Bracewell with his last over. Four!! Mulder brings out the reverse sweep, finds the gap through third man. WICKET!! Mulder goes for the lofted shot but hits it down the throat of Rachin in the deep. Can’t keep him out of the game at the moment. 

Wiaan Mulder c Ravindra b Bracewell 8 (13)

Rachin continues. Around the wicket to new batter Mulder. Beats with one that spun away sharply. Just two runs from the over. 

Bracewell fires in another quiet over for New Zealand. This game is all but over for South Africa. The required run rate has spilled over 10.

Markram’s stint ends in the softest fashion. Chips one straight back to Rachin Ravindra. 

Aiden Markram c & b Ravindra 31 (29b 3×4 0x6)

SA 189/5 in 33 overs

Bracewell hasn’t enjoyed half of the success Santner had today. He has three more overs to make an impact today. Starts with a leg-side wide. But gives away just four singles in the over. 

Miller gets going by launching new bowler Rachin Ravindra over mid off for a four. South Africa needs a lot more off these. 

Another over for O’Rourke. Miller is the new batter for South Africa. Markram keeps the fight going with a pull shot, which fetches him a four. 

Santner drags the length back for Klaasen, who fails to clear Henry at long on. HUGE WICKET!

Heinrich Klaasen c Henry b Santner 3 (7b 0x4 0x6)

SA 167/4 in 29 overs

Santner persists with O’Rourke. Klaasen is the new batter for South Africa and he is realistically the side’s last straw of hope in this chase. He gets going with a couple of singles. 

Sixth over of the day for Santner. van der Dussen and Markram sneak in a risky double. The latter was nearly run out at the striker’s end. 

Masterful from Santner. Deceives van der Dussen with the angle before sliding it onto his stumps. 

Rassie van der Dussen b Santner 69 (66b 4×4 2×6)

SA 162/3 in 27 overs

O’Rourke back into the attack. Markram carves him through covers for a four. van der Dussen follows suit. Pulls the Kiwi pacer over mid wicket for a four. Markram closes off the over with a square drive, which flashes past point for a four. 

Santner continues his economic spell. Varies the pace with craft to prevent the Proteas batter from taking him on. Just four singles from the over. 

Bracewell with his seventh over. van der Dussen uses the paddle sweep again to get a couple of runs. Now he brings out slog. Over deep mid wicket for a six. 

The run rate pressure gets to Bavuma. He tries to charge Santner, only to skew it to Williamson at point. 

Temba Bavuma c Williamson b Santner 56 (71b 4×4 1×6)

SA 128/2 in 23 overs

Bavuma paddle sweeps Bracewell for a couple of runs. That brings up the 100-run stand for the second wicket. Now van der Dussen plays the same shot. Two more runs. 

Williamson stretches himself to his best to get to Bavuma swipe. Slips past his fingers. Santner drags it full and van der Dussen slams it over long on for a six. 

Bavuma taps one to the off side for a single to bring up his fifty. Captain leading from the front in the chase. 

SA 107/1 in 20 overs

Bavuma looks for a reverse sweep but Santner tosses it up and beats him in flight. The sweep eventually is hit straight to short third man. Santner beats Bavuma’s outside edge with a pearler. Just a single from the over. 

Bracewell continues. van der Dussen moves across the stumps and paddles one fine but a brilliant effort from O’Rourke prevents a boundary. Three runs taken. Four!! Bavuma walks down and clears the fielder in the ring with his lofted shot. 

Mitch Santner into the attack. Bavuma pushes the first ball through cover for a single. Appeal for lbw against Bavuma but the ball was going down leg. Four from the over. 

Slight turn on offer for Bracewell. van der Dussen almost flicks one to short midwicket. Clear sign of the ball stopping on the pitch. Five from the over. 

O’Rourke continues. A tight single to point, the fielder has a shy at the non-striker’s but he can’t hit the target. Another run out chance, van der Dussen puts in a dive but Santner’s failed collection attempt saves him. Six singles from the over. 

Another tight over from Bracewell, just two runs from it. 

van der Dussen almost chips one to short cover. Flies just over the head of Nathan Smith. The batter picks up two. van der Dussen plays an uppish cut, falls well short of the offside sweeper. 

Michael Bracewell into the attack. Three singles from his first over. 

Will O’Rourke into the atack. Four!! Full outside off, driven through cover for a boundary. Back of length outside off, guided to third man for a single. Four!! Outside edge, but it runs very fine and beats third man for four. 

Six!! Jamieson goes short to Bavuma, pulls it over square leg and clears the boundary. A couple of twos to the legside, despite two midwickets in place. 

Four!! Full outside off from Henry, Bavuma lofts it over extra cover for a boundary. Four!! Back of a length on off, punched through the gap between cover and mid off by van der Dussen. 

Jamieson to van der Dussen, short of a length outside off, beats his attempted waft outside the line. On the hips this time, turned to fine leg for a single. Bavuma manages to clear cover with his drive, but mid off ensures the batter only gets a couple. 

Henry again. A catching midwicket in place for Bavuma as Henry keeps it on the stumps. Concedes just three off the over. 

Four!! Pitched up on the stumps by Jamieson, Bavuma flicks it through midwicket for a boundary. Six runs from the over. 

Henry with his third over. WICKET!! Henry continues ringing in those PowerPlay wickets., Rickelton looks to drive a full ball, but mistimes it to short cover. 

Ryan Rickelton c Bracewell b Henry 17 (12)

Four!! A freebie for van der Dussen to begin his innings, full on the pads, flicked through the legside for four. 

Jamieson continues to trouble Bavuma. Outisde edge now. Runs away to deep third for a single. On the pads to Rickelton. Ticked away for a four. 

Henry continues. Rickelton squeezes a single to mid off. Now Henry gets the beating of Bavuma’s outside edge. Meanwhile, Rickelton cracks another brilliant straight drive to get another four. 

Jamieson now from over the wicket. Beats Bavuma’s outside edge with one that nipped away. The Kiwi pacer continues to keep it away from the batter’s scoring zone. MAIDEN OVER!

Matt Henry with the first over. Rickelton chops one nearly onto his stumps. Streaks past the stumps and the keeper for a four. Fuller from Henry. Rickelton punches it down the ground for a four. Good start for South Africa. 

Two brilliantly crafted hundreds from Rachin Ravindra and Kane Williamson, followed by some brute hitting from Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips power New Zealand to a record total in its Champions Trophy semifinal against South Africa

Thick outside edge from Phillips against Ngidi and it sneaks past the short third man fielder for a four. Full from Ngidi and Bracewell slaps it straight back for a four. Full again. This time Bracewell bashes it straight to Rickleton at extra cover. 

Michael Bracewell c Rickelton b Ngidi 16 (12b 2×4 0x6)

Santner comes in for the last ball and scampers home for a double to close up the innings. 

Jansen with the penultimate over. Bracewelll clubs one to deep mid wicket to get a couple of runs. Jansen manages to put a stop on the boundary hitting. Just four more singles from the rest of the over. 

Full from Rabada and Phillips dispatches it over the bowler’s head for a six. Fuller one again and Phillips squeezes it through extra cover for a four. Now New Zealand gets lucky. Rabada strikes Bracewell on the thigh and it skews past the keeper for a four. 

Slower one from Ngidi and Mitchell misconnects the slog. Easy catch for Rabada in the deep. 

Daryl Mitchell c Rabada b Ngidi 49 (37b 4×4 1×6)

Bracewell gets going with a four down the leg side. 

NZ 323/5 in 47 overs

Jansen with the 46th. Two singles to start the over. Now Glenn Phillips tees off. Takes on Jansen with a couple of pull shots which fetch him fours. He goes straight now. Past mid off for another four. More action. Another pull shot. FOUR MORE!!

Ngidi into the attack. Six!! Back of a length on the stumps, Mitchell lofts it over forward square leg for six. Four!! Another attempted lofted shot over the legside, Mulder looks to come forward and attempt a catch but ends up letting it through him for four. Four!! Short and wide, crunched through the offside for another boundary. 

Rabada goes full, ends up as a low full toss, flicked to deep midwicket by Phillips for a single. Just five singles from the over. 

Jansen with his eighth over. Four!! Not the perfect timing, but Mitchell gets enough on his shot to find the boundary straight down the ground. Four!! Slower short ball outside off, Mitchell opens the face and guides it past third man for another boundary. 

WICKET!! Latham looks to paddle a length ball, doesn’t make contact and sees his stumps disturbed behind him. Rabada gets another. 

Tom Latham b Rabada 4 (5)

Phillips is welcomed to the crease with a crisp yorker. Manages to jam his bat down in time. Just four runs from the over. 

Jansen back ahead of the third PowerPlay. The slower balls continue to grip the surface and make it hard for the batters. Five singles from the over. 

Mulder with his sixth over. Hundred for Williamson!! Moves across and paddles another one over the ‘keeper’s head for four. WICKET!! Almost a yorker length ball outside off, tries to paddle this too, but only finds the short fine leg fielder. 

Kane Williamson c Ngidi b Mulder 102 (94)

Tom Latham in at 5. 

Maharaj completes his spell with a two-run over. 65 from his 10 overs. 

Mulder back into the attack. Four!! Back of a length outside off, guided past the fielders in the ring square on the offside for a boundary by Williamson. 

Short and wide from Maharaj, Williamson slaps it over extra cover for a couple. Anither mistimed shot, trickles through square leg for two more. Four!! Sweeps a full ball outside off over the short midwicket fielder for another boundary. 

Rabada with his seventh. Mitchell looks to loft one through midwicket, beats the infield but doesn’t have enough to reach the boundary. Two runs taken. Eight runs from the over even without a hit to the boundary. 

Maharaj continues. Mitchell looks to come down but doesn’t get the right connection, will only get a single to long on. Tight over just three runs. 

WICKET!! Finally, the partnership is broken! Rabada bowls a slower one outside off, Ravindra looks to cut but only manages an edge to Klaasen behind. 

Rachin Ravindra c Klaasen b Rabada 108 (101)

Daryl Mitchell in at 4. Just a single from the over. 

Maharaj back for his sixth over. Six!! Five singles and then Williamson slog sweeps one into the stands!

Hundred for Rachin Ravindra!! Whips a length ball through midwicket and quickly scampers across for a double. Second hundred off the tournament for the southpaw! Four!! Full on the pads, flicked to the boundary for four. Four!! Williamson walks across the stumps and paddles one over the ‘keeper for a boundary. Four!! Drives one through cover to close out an expensive over for SA. 

Ngidi continues. Beats Rachin’s outside edge with one angled away from the left-hander. Back of a length on the stump, punched to deep midwicket for a couple. Rachin moves to 97. South Africa reviews a caught behind decision but there is no spike on UltraEdge as the ball passes the bat. Review burned. Jams a full one to deep third for a single next ball. 

Williamson gives himself some room before whacking it over extra cover for a four. Markram gets the rest of the over under control. 

Lungi Ngidi back for South Africa. Few easy singles for Williamson and Rachin. Last ball of the over, Williamson gets an outside edge, which skims the gloves of a diving Klaasen. Missed opportunity. 

Miscue by Williamson. He chips Markram high and into the deep. Luckily for New Zealand it lands safely. Two runs stolen there and it brings his fifty. He celebrates it by reverse slapping Markram for a four. 

NZ 169/1 in 28 overs

Rachin charges Maharaj again. Thick outside edge. Runs away for a four past keeper, bringing up the 100-run partnership between the two. Now Williamson goes big. Smashes Maharaj for a six over deep mid wickettt. 

Markram continues. New Zealand would love to take him down with some big hits. But Markram has displayed great control with his length. Just four runs from his second over. 

Fifth over for Maharaj. Rachin uses his feet to crash the spinner straight back for a welcome four for New Zealand. He goes one better now. Steps out and lofts Maharaj for a six over long on. 

Markram gets a go with his off spin. Williamson gets a single first ball. Markram opts for a straight line, tying Rachin down for three dot balls. The Kiwi opener gets off strike with a drive to long on. 

Williamson chips Maharaj over short mid wicket for a couple of runs to start the over. Three more singles follow in the over. New Zealand opting for low-risk cricket. 

Jansen continues. Williamson and Rachin continue to tick the scoreboard with easy singles. 

Maharaj pitches it up and Rachin needs no second invitation. Cracks it through covers for clean four. Maharaj drags the length back for the rest of the over to gain a few dot balls. 

Bavuma brings Jansen back in hopes of a breakthrough. Rachin and Williamson keep it simple against the left-arm pacer. Another quiet over. Just two singles. 

Maharaj continues. Crafty stuff from the spinner. Keeps it straight and tight. Just two singles from the over. 

Mulder messes up the line. Down the leg side and nudged away for a four by Rachin Ravindra and that brings up his fifty. It has come in just 47 balls, with seven fours. Rachin celebrates his milestone by pumping Mulder for two more fours in the over. 

NZ 109/1 in 18 overs

Spin for the first time this game as Keshav Maharaj is introduced. Rachin brings out the sweep shot straight away. Just a single though. Williamson is a bit more guarded against left-arm spinner. 

Third over for Mulder. Starts with a wide yorker. Blocked by Williamson. Dabs the next one close to get a single. Rachin pulls one to scamper in a double. 

Rabada with his fourth over. Four!! Full on the stump, driven past mid on for four. Williamson clips another full one to deep fine for a couple more. 

Four! A touch short from Mulder, Rachin lofts it over short midwicket for a boundary. Williamson clips a full one on the pads to deep fine for a couple. Ten from the over. 

Rabada with his third over. A rare maiden as Williamson doesn’t find an avenue to rotate strike. 

Wiaan Mulder into the attack. Rachin flicks a full one through midwicket for a couple. Uppish…but safe, trickles to deep forward square for a single. Another guide to third man from Williamson for one. 

Rabada with his second. Four!! Back of a length outside off, takes Williamson’s outside edge as he looks to guide one. Falls in front of the diving keeper and runs away for a boundary. 

Ngidi continues. Williamson tries to dab one more to third man but can’t get it past a fine backward point. Four!! After multiple failures in trying to find the gap through the offside, he manages to pierce one through cover for a boundary. 

Rabada into the attack. Williamson gets off the mark with a trademark guide to third man. Ravindra edges one to third man for a single. 

Young walks across the stumps and whips one past mid on, Rabada gives chase and keeps it to three. WICKET!! Young misreads the pace of the ball, is through the shot early and Markram takes a comfortable catch at mid off. 

Will Young c Markram b Ngidi 21 (23b)

Jansen to Rachin, defends a length ball to mid off and scampers across from a quick single. A touch wide to the right-hander, punched to the left of mid-off for a single. Four!! Wide now to Rachin, creams the punch past the ring fielders and to the fence. Four!! Full and straight, Rachin uses his wrists to whip it through midwicket for a boundary. Looking like a belter of a pitch this. Four!! Third four off the over, past mid off this time. 

Ngidi continues. Better line in the over. Keeps it in and around off stump. Just a single from the over. 

Young gets a double through square leg to open the over. Rachin looks to pull a short one, hits it straight at the short square leg fielder. Four!! Short ball to Young, not high enough, easily pulled through square leg for a boundary. 

Four!! Wide of off again, punched through cover for a boundary, manages to find the gap. Back of a length on off, guided to the right of slip for a single by Young. Four!! Full on the stumps, driven through the vacant midwicket region by Rachin. 

Back of a length outside off to Ravindra, stands tall and defends to point. A touch wide, slapped through cover, but the fielder in the ring manages to get a hand to it and prevent a boundary. Two runs taken. Four!! Short ball, pulled through the legside to close the over out with a boundary. 

Lungi Ngidi from the other end. Short of a length outside off stump, swatted to cover. Full on the stumps, defended to short square. Chance and four! Short outside off, Young throws his hands at it. Jansen got finger tips to it but runs away to the boundary for four. If Jansen can’t reach it, don’t think that can be counted as a chance! 

Will Young on strike with Rachin Ravindra at the non-striker’s. Marco Jansen with the new ball. Left-arm over the wicket for the lanky pacer. 

Back of a length on the hips, turned to deep fine for a single. Back of a length on off, defended to point. Fuller on the stumps, defended to short mid on. Tests him with a short ball, Ravindra ducks under it. Two from the first over. 

New Zealand: Will Young, Rachin Ravindra, Kane Williamson, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham(wk), Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner(c), Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, William ORourke

South Africa: Ryan Rickelton, Temba Bavuma(c), Rassie van der Dussen, Heinrich Klaasen(wk), David Miller, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi

NZ wins the toss and opts to bat first. 

“It is a used wicket but with the wind around there isn’t much scope for dew. Same team,” Santner says. 

“We wanted to bat first and put some scoreboard pressure,” reckons Temba Bavuma.

SA vs NZ HEAD-TO-HEAD IN ICC CHAMPIONS TROPHY

Matches played: 2

South Africa won: 1

New Zealand won: 1

​

The ICC Champions Trophy match between South Africa and New Zealand will be telecast live on the Star Sports Network and Sports18 Network. The action will be streamed live on the JioHotstar app and website. Moreover, you can stay tuned to Sportstar’s website and app for all the updates from the match.

The ICC Champions Trophy second semifinal between South Africa and New Zealand will begin at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore at 2:30 PM IST on Wednesday, March 5.

1. Heinrich Klaasen vs Off-Spin

Strengths: Exceptional spin-hitter with high strike rates in T20 (157.98) and ODIs (120.60). 

Weaknesses: Struggles against off-spin (lowest average of 39 and worst dismissal rate – every 34 balls). 

Strategy: Use Michael Bracewell as the primary off-spin option to slow down Klaasen and create wicket-taking opportunities. 

2. Marco Jansen vs Kane Williamson

Strengths: Jansen’s left-arm pace has been highly effective, particularly in the early overs (4 wickets in 2 Champions Trophy matches). 

Weaknesses: Kane Williamson’s counter-strength: 

– Averages 67 against left-arm pace in the PowerPlay. 

– Extremely difficult to dismiss (only once every 112 balls). 

Strategy: Focus on rotating the strike against Jansen to avoid giving him early breakthroughs. Exploit Jansen later in the innings when his impact is reduced. 

3. Matt Henry vs Ryan Rickelton

Strengths: Rickelton is in prime form, excelling in SA20 (336 runs at 178.72 SR) and with a Test double ton before the tournament. 

Weaknesses: Henry’s dominance with the new ball in ODIs (71 PowerPlay wickets, 22.61 average). 

Strategy: Use Henry aggressively in the first 10 overs to target Rickelton early. Force Rickelton to play at deliveries outside off-stump, exploiting any technical vulnerabilities. 

Matches played: 73

South Africa won: 42

New Zealand won: 26

No results: 5

New Zealand: Mitchell Santner (Capt.), Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Kyle Jamieson, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Will O’Rourke, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Nathan Smith, Kane Williamson, Will Young, Jacob Duffy.

South Africa: Temba Bavuma (Capt.), Corbin Bosch, Tony de Zorzi, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tristan Stubbs, Rassie van der Dussen.

Welcome to Sportstar’s Live Blog of the Champions Trophy semifinal between New Zealand and South Africa. 

Published on Mar 05, 2025