Dubai: South Africa's plan once again backfired in a big match. In the second semi-final of the ICC Champions Trophy, it was defeated one-sidedly by New Zealand. With this, the title match between India and New Zealand on March 9 has been confirmed. Now the New Zealand team will leave for Dubai from Lahore as soon as possible. With this, the Pakistan phase of the tournament also ended. In the match, with the centuries of openers Rachin Ravindra and Kane Williamson, New Zealand scored 362 runs for 6 wickets against South Africa, which is the highest score in the history of the tournament. In response, South Africa easily surrendered. For them, David Miller (100 not out in 67 balls, 10 fours and 4 sixes) completed his century on the last ball, while Rassie van der Dussen played an innings of 69 runs.
South African lions buried under a mountain of runs
South African team, which came out to chase the mountainous target, had a bad start. They got the first blow in the form of Ryan Rickelton at a team score of 20 runs. However, after this, captain Temba Bavuma and Rassie van der Dussen tried to handle the team by hitting half centuries and took the score to 125 runs. When this partnership broke, there was such a storm of wickets that the South African team could not recover.
Captain Temba Bavuma and Rassie hit half centuries, but it didn't work
Captain Temba Bavuma was dismissed after scoring 56 runs in 71 balls with 4 fours and a six, while Rassie played an innings of 69 runs in 66 balls with 4 fours and 2 sixes. Both these wickets went to Santner's account. After this, Aiden Markram and David Miller definitely spent time on the field, but could not take the team to victory. Heinrich Klaasen became the victim of Santner on 3 runs, while Mulder gifted his wicket on 8 runs in the pursuit of hitting big shots. After this, century maker David Miller definitely hit some good shots, but these runs were of no use to South Africa. They could only reduce the margin of defeat.
Oh what luck... The team reached the final, but these 3 Indian players remained on the bench
Historic century by Rachin Ravindra and Kane Williamson
Earlier, Ravindra (108 runs, 101 balls, 13 fours, one six) and Williamson (102 runs, 94 balls, 10 fours, two sixes) scored centuries and also shared a 164-run partnership for the second wicket. Glenn Phillips (49 not out, 27 balls) and Daryl Mitchell (49 runs, 37 balls) finally added 57 runs in 30 balls for the fifth wicket to take the team's score past 350 runs. The team added 112 runs in the last 10 overs. Lungi Ngidi was the most successful bowler for South Africa, taking three wickets for 72 runs. Kagiso Rabada took two wickets for 70 runs.
Rachin Ravindra likes ICC events
New Zealand won the toss and decided to bat first, after which Ravindra and Will Young (21) gave the team a cautious start by adding 48 runs for the first wicket. Ngidi broke this partnership by getting Young caught by Aiden Markram in the eighth over. After giving only 32 runs in his first six overs, Ngidi gave away a lot of runs in the last overs. Ravindra then troubled the South African bowlers a lot along with Williamson. Both played many attractive shots and kept the South African bowlers away from success for more than 25 overs.
Rachin Ravindra's second century in Champions Trophy and 5th overall
Ravindra scored 112 runs against Bangladesh and completed his second century in the current Champions Trophy and his fifth century in the ICC tournament. He touched the 100-run mark in 93 balls with two runs off Rabada's ball. Rabada ended this big partnership by getting Ravindra caught by wicketkeeper Heinrich Klaasen. Williamson also completed his third century against South Africa and 15th century in ODI cricket in 91 balls with a four on Wiaan Mulder, but got caught by Ngidi in the same over.
Tom Latham was bowled by Rabada after scoring just four runs, after which Glenn Phillips and Daryl Mitchell batted aggressively and took the team's score beyond 350 runs. Mitchell hit a six and two fours on consecutive balls of Ngidi in the 45th over, while in the next over, Phillips hit four consecutive fours on Marco Jansen. Mitchell missed a half-century by one run after getting caught by Rabada on Ngidi's ball.
