Rachin Ravindra and Kane Williamson struck hundreds as New Zealand eased to a 50-run win over South Africa in Lahore to set up a rematch with India in the Champions Trophy final.
Ravindra made 108 off 101 balls and Williamson hit 102 off 94 deliveries as New Zealand posted a Champions Trophy record 362-6 before restricting the Proteas to 312-9.
David Miller finished unbeaten on 100 but his 67-ball innings came in vain with the game already well out of reach, as South Africa suffered their fifth Champions Trophy semi-final defeat after those in 2000, 2002, 2006 and 2013.
They won the first edition of the tournament in Bangladesh in 1998, when it was named the KnockOut Trophy.
New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner excelled with the ball and took 3-43 with his left-arm spin, breaking a 105-run partnership for South Africa’s second wicket by removing rival skipper Temba Bavuma for 56.
Bavuma started slowly before steadying the innings with Rassie van der Dussen, who scored a fluent 69 before being deceived by a beautiful delivery from Santner.
Santner then dealt a critical blow when he dismissed Heinrich Klaasen for three, caught by a diving Matt Henry at long-on, dashing South Africa’s hopes of pulling off the highest chase in the tournament’s history.
Ravindra (1-20) had Aiden Markram caught and bowled for 31 while Glenn Phillips chipped in with 2-27 as the Proteas crumbled against spin.
HIGHLIGHTS: Proteas vs New Zealand (Champions Trophy)
Earlier, Ravindra and Williamson set the foundations for a big total on a batting-friendly Gaddafi Stadium pitch after New Zealand won the toss and batted first.
Daryl Mitchell clubbed 49 off 37 balls and Phillips smashed a 27-ball 49* as the Black Caps plundered 110 runs in the last 10 overs and 66 in the last five.
South Africa’s bowling lineup struggled right from the start as Ravindra and Will Young (21) put on 48 for the opening stand.
It was followed by a magnificent 164-run partnership for the second wicket between Ravindra and Williamson that put the New Zealanders on track for a massive total, as the duo scored at will with some delightful strokes.
Ravindra completed his fifth ODI hundred – all coming in ICC events – from 93 balls with a two off Kagiso Rabada.
Williamson reached his 15th ODI hundred with a ramped boundary, his third three-figure score in as many matches against South Africa.
It was Rabada who finally ended the partnership by dismissing Ravindra caught behind. Ravindra hit 13 fours and one six in total.
Williamson chipped Wiaan Mulder into the hands of Lungi Ngidi in the 40th over after hitting 10 fours and two sixes.
Mitchell and Phillips added some late impetus after the Proteas had briefly dragged things back to give themselves hope of limiting the score to under 350.
Fast bowler Ngidi finished with 3-72, while Rabada ended with figures of 2-70.
Photo: Matthew Lewis/ICC via Getty Images
Rachin Ravindra and Kane Williamson struck brilliant centuries as New Zealand posted the highest-ever Champions Trophy total of 362-6 in their semi-final against South Africa in Lahore.
Ravindra cracked a 101-ball 108 while Williamson hit 102 off 94 balls on a batting-friendly Gaddafi Stadium pitch after New Zealand won the toss and batted first.
Daryl Mitchell clubbed 49 off 37 balls and Glenn Phillips smashed a 27-ball 49* as the Black Caps plundered 110 runs in the last 10 overs and 66 in the last five.
The winners will face India in the final in Dubai on Sunday.
The Proteas’ bowling lineup struggled right from the start as Ravindra and Will Young (21) put on 48 for the opening stand.
It was followed by a magnificent 164-run stand for the second wicket between Ravindra and Williamson that put the New Zealanders on track for a massive total, as the duo scored at will with some delightful strokes.
Ravindra completed his fifth ODI hundred – all coming in ICC events – from 93 balls with a two off Kagiso Rabada.
Williamson reached his 15th ODI hundred with a ramped boundary, his third three-figure score in as many matches against South Africa.
It was Rabada who finally ended the partnership by dismissing Ravindra caught behind. Ravindra hit 13 fours and one six in total.
Williamson chipped Wiaan Mulder into the hands of Lungi Ngidi in the 40th over after hitting 10 fours and two sixes.
Mitchell and Phillips added some late impetus after the Proteas had briefly dragged things back to give themselves hope of limiting the score to under 350.
Fast bowler Ngidi finished with 3-72, while Rabada ended with figures of 2-70.
Australia posted the previous highest Champions Trophy total with a successful chase of 356-5 against England in the group stage, also in Lahore, giving the Proteas hope that they can still reach the final.
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Photo: Matthew Lewis-ICC/ICC via Getty Images
Rachin Ravindra struck a superb century to lead New Zealand into the Champions Trophy semi-finals with a five-wicket win over Bangladesh and in turn dump hosts Pakistan out of the semi-final race.
The result in Rawalpindi also ensured India’s semi-final berth in the 50-over tournament as Bangladesh became the other team from Group A to be knocked out.
Both New Zealand and India have two wins from two matches and will now meet in Dubai on Sunday to decide team one and two from the group.
Pakistan, who won the previous edition of the Champions Trophy in 2017, lost to New Zealand and then India in the first ICC event they are hosting since the 1996 ODI World Cup.
India refused to tour Pakistan due to political reasons and instead are playing all their matches in Dubai, which will host the final if the Asian giants go the distance.
New Zealand have been the team to beat in this group after they humbled Pakistan by 60 runs in the tournament opener.
Coming in as firm favourites in their second match, New Zealand elected to field first and spinner Michael Bracewell returned career-best ODI figures of 4-36 to restrict Bangladesh to 236-9.
Chasing 237 for victory, New Zealand slipped to 15-2 and 72-3 before Ravindra and fellow left-hander Tom Latham, who made 55, added 129 for the fourth wicket.
Both were dismissed before the end but New Zealand still achieved the target with 23 balls to spare.
HIGHLIGHTS: New Zealand vs Bangladesh (Champions Trophy)
The Black Caps had a disastrous start when pace bowler Tasking Ahmed bowled first-match centurion Will Young for a duck.
Bangladesh’s new pace sensation Nahid Rana took down Kane Williamson, caught behind for five, with a delivery bowled at 148.8kph.
Ravindra, who returned to the team after recovering from a nasty blow to his forehead in a recent Tri-Series match against Pakistan, joined Devon Conway to rebuild the innings.
Conway hit back with a flurry of boundaries and made 30 before Bangladesh checked the surge and Mustafizur Rahman hurried one on to the left-hander who chopped on to his stumps.
Ravindra stood firm and with fellow left-hander Latham, another centurion in the opener against Pakistan, waded his way through the chase and after reaching his fifty bossed the bowlers.
He raised his fourth ODI ton with a single off Rana and raised his bat to soak up the applause.
Another ICC ODI event, another century for Rachin Ravindra! At the age of just 25 he has now scored more centuries at ICC ODI events (4) than any other New Zealand men’s player ✍️ #ChampionsTrophy #CricketNation pic.twitter.com/Mm1BuJeUfT
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) February 24, 2025
Ravindra finally fell, caught at long-on off leg-spinner Rishad Hossain, and wicketkeeper-batsman Latham’s run out added some late drama. But Glenn Phillips (21*) and Bracewell, who hit the winning boundary, sealed the chase.
Man of the Match Bracewell set up victory with key strikes that started with his second delivery to dismiss Tanzid Hasan for 24 and end a strong start by Bangladesh.
Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto made 77 and Jaker Ali 45 in an attempt to put up a competitive total but Bracewell kept getting wickets.
He was ably supported by the New Zealand quicks, with rookie Will O’Rourke returning with two wickets.
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Photo: Chris Hyde-ICC/ICC via Getty Images
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