Lahore, March 5, 2025-
After top-scoring with 108 off 101 balls in New Zealand’s emphatic 50-run win over South Africa, which set up a meeting with India in the 2025 Champions Trophy final, Rachin Ravindra said it felt great that he was able to contribute to an emphatic semifinal victory.
At the Gaddafi Stadium on Wednesday, Ravindra notched up his fifth ODI century – all of them coming in ICC events and the second of this competition. He has now become the only men’s batter to score his first five ODI centuries in ICC tournaments, as New Zealand posted the highest score in the history of the Champions Trophy.
Ravindra, 25, also added 164 off 154 balls for the second wicket with Williamson, who made 102 off 94 deliveries, his 15th century in this format. “Great feeling to contribute to an emphatic win in a semifinal. I didn’t start as well as I wanted. SA bowled well, but once we got going, it was nice to build partnerships with Kane and Young. It was nice to go with the ebbs and flows of one-day cricket.”
“We were thinking around 300 as cutters were holding, and SA were getting bounce, but then the game started accelerating nicely, and Glenn and Mitchell finished great. Thing with tournament cricket is what’s next and then what. Important to soak in the win today, celebrate the team together, and get around each other. Once we get to Dubai, we’ll switch back on,” he said in the post-match ceremony after receiving the Player of the Match award.
Mitchell Santner, the New Zealand captain who broke the back of the Proteas’ chase with 3-43, said it was a cool feeling to enter the 2025 Champions Trophy final. “We were challenged by a good side. We’ve had a go against India and look forward to doing it again. The platform we were able to set up with Rachin and Kane and set up the death phase earlier was great.”
“The finishers did their job. Williamson keeps doing it. That partnership was massive, and it might’ve been frustrating at times, but they flipped the switch earlier and got us to 360. Looking back, 320 might not have been enough.”
Santner also felt the bowling group did its job of keeping the pressure on South Africa’s batters. “The key for the bowlers is to keep chipping away with wickets. It was good, personally. What we speak about as a group is applying pressure but still taking wickets. It was pleasing to get three pretty good scalps personally.”
“We got four all-rounders who bowl spin, that gives depth. GP’s two wickets and Rachin’s five overs were great. We weren’t sure if Henry, who is sore but fine, would bowl. Knew if they hit a hard length, it would spin or seam.”
Talking about how they would like to play in the final, Santner stated, “Being there in Dubai and putting India under pressure gave us confidence. You take in what things work and what doesn’t. Not winning the toss might be nice.”
Temba Bavuma, South Africa’s captain, rued the lack of big partnerships in their chase, as well as neither he nor Rassie van der Dussen making a huge individual score. “NZ were above par. I think as well as they batted, we backed ourselves to chase 350 with the wicket getting better. We had one or two good partnerships but not enough.”
“One of me or van der Dussen had to go big, which didn’t happen. NZ really put us under pressure from the get-go. They pierced the offside regularly and kept hitting boundaries in the middle overs, was tough to contain them for having had wickets in hand at the death and putting us under pressure.”
“At 125 for 1, me and Rassie batting, we needed to bat till the 35th. But we weren’t able to set up the base for the middle order. Soft dismissal for me. Better ball to get Rassie. Left too much to do for those coming in. From a batting point, being more decisive is what’s on my mind. Have to be ruthless and go for the game,” said the South Africa captain.(Agency)
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