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New Zealand (362/6) defeat South Africa (312/9) comfortably by 50 runs to advance to final of ICC Champions Trophy 2025

Kiwis should be good for near 400

This is the problem for the winning team now shifting to dustbowl in Dubai!
 
Woza Afrikaa! hamba uzithathe

Need two wickets! Back to back needed now to stop nz getting a huge total
 
Against NZ strategy and fielding it is a bridge too far for SA if they don't restrict them to 300.
 
200 runs achieved with 18 to go. This is not looking pretty for SA. Atleast one bowler has to do something special.
 
Even in 2015 semi final , South Africa shelled a lot of catches towards the end. QDK missed a simple run out of Grant Elliott who put the dagger in their heart.
 
Least innings to 5 ODI hundreds for New Zealand
22 - Devon Conway
28 - Rachin Ravindra
30 - Daryl Mitchell
56 - Kane Williamson
64 - Nathan Astle
 
Aged 25y 107d, Rachin is also the second-youngest New Zealand batter to get to five ODI hundreds, after Kane Williamson (24y 165d).
 
South africa is a good batting unit... they can chase 350 here...pitch looking quite flat
 
With that 6, Kane Williamson moves to a 100+ strike rate. Beautifully paced innings. Rachin is lucky to have someone like him to learn from
 
13 innings taken by Rachin Ravindra is the least by anyone to register five hundreds in ICC ODI tournaments, bettering 15 by Shikhar Dhawan
 
Slower ball gets a wicket. Slower balls from seamers gave gone at less than 3 RPO. On pace has gone at 6 +.

Not enough cutters from SA bowlers, Ngidi apart.
 
excellent innings by Ravindra. Another 100. SA needed that wicket badly. Now need back to back to slow the innings down!
 
These are the things you identify very very early. Not after 30 overs.
Yeah. They should have gone to cutters after Powerplay itself.

Rabada and Jansen don't like bowling "dirty" stuff . It's all seam up, hitting the deck top of off etc.

But this pitch requires pace off.
 
NZ must not slow down here. Much will depend on how Mitchell plays. But looking at the platform, RSA's batting and NZ's spin options, barring a catastrophic collapse, NZ look in a very strong position at the moment.
 
Darryl Mitchell plays dead straight. He doesn't play too many fancy shots. You can restrict when he is new. But once he is in the zone very very hard to control. Initially can look unugainly.
 
Last 2 years NZ has played 10 matches in Pakistan. This is 11th. Most by any visiting side.
NZ - Pakistan are playing too Much cricket with each other These days. Next series is in NZ after a week From the Champion trophy final :kp
 
Williamson quiet tuktuked his to late 90s now has SR of 110 now. He was at 50 of 61 balls one point. He has this way of quietly getting things done then someone gets the sr up. A quality player. But I find him boring still!
 
This is a ICC tournament semi final not some random bilateral. What a boring crowd. Expected better from a cricket crazy Lahore crowd.
 
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