Bhubaneswar, Mar 5: It will India versus New Zealand in the final of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 on Sunday – March 9. The Black Caps were at their absolute best against South Africa in the second semifinal at the Gaddafi Stadium on Wednesday coming out on top with a comprehensive 50-run victory.

Rachin Ravindra smashed his fifth ODI hundred and second at 2025 CT, while Kane Williamson notched up his third century in a row against South Africa as the duo propelled New Zealand to a massive 362/6 after winning the toss and elected to bat first. Then the Kiwi bowlers, led by skipper Mitchell Santner, restricted the Proteas to 312/9.

Although the match was quite close to a lopsided contest, but the crowd and viewers would definitely have enjoyed the finish, courtesy the late onslaught by David Miller. Miller completed his century on the final ball of their innings, dedicating the ton to his newly born son, Benji.

South Africa were rocked early losing Ryan Rickelton. However, skipper Temba Bavuma and Rassie van der Dussen held the innings together with a watchful 105-run partnership for the second wicket. Santner broke the stand dismissing Bavuma in the 23rd over, before getting rid of van der Dussen with a jaffa in the 27th over.

Bavuma scored 56 off 71 balls, while van der Dussen made 69 off 66 balls. However, the latter’s departure opened the floodgates as the Proteas lost wickets at regular intervals to be reduced to 256/9 in 45.3 overs.

However, Miller had other plans as he took the matters to his own hands adding a splendid 56 runs with Lungi Ngidi, who faced only two balls for his one run, off just 27 balls for the unbroken 10th wicket stand. Miller hit 48 off the last three overs of their innings before reaching the three-figure mark on the final ball, taking a total of 67 balls. However, it was too little too late for the Proteas.

Earlier, electing to bat first on a used pitch, Ravindra was all class in his knock of 108 off 101 balls, while adding 164 off 154 balls for the second wicket with Williamson, who made 102 off 94 deliveries. Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips both smashed quick knocks of 49 at the back end to help New Zealand post the highest total in the history of the Champions Trophy.

For South Africa, it was a hard day of relentless toil under bright sunshine, with Marco Jansen and Keshav Maharaj being taken for big runs. Lungi Ngidi, Kagiso Rabada and Wiaan Mulder were amongst the wickets, but gave away runs aplenty.

Ngidi provided first breakthrough for South Africa by having Will Young miscue a slower ball to mid-on in the eighth over. Williamson, fresh off a valiant 81 against India, began nicely. Ravindra reached his half century off 47 balls. He and Williamson were adept at rotating the strike. Williamson joined the boundary-hitting spree by flicking Maharaj for six and then getting his fifty in 61 balls off Aiden Markram.

The New Zealand camp was full of cheers in the 32nd over when Ravindra flicked Rabada for two runs and reached to his fifth ODI century. The 164-run stand for the fourth wicket ended in the 34th over when Ravindra went for a drive against an off-cutter from Rabada, but it produced a thin edge and was caught behind by Klaasen.

Williamson, though, marched forward and got his 15th ODI century in 91 balls. But four balls later, Williamson again went for a scoop, but was caught by short fine leg off a wide yorker from Wiaan Mulder.

Mitchell provided late impetus to the innings. Phillips joined the slog overs party. Though Mitchell holed out to deep mid-wicket off Ngidi for 49, Phillips went after Rabada – hitting a four and six off him as 19 runs came off the 48th over, before 13 runs came in the final overs, as New Zealand hit an astonishing 110 runs in their last ten overs.

Brief Scores: New Zealand 362/6 (Rachin Ravindra 108, Kane Williamson 102, Glenn Phillips 49 n o, Daryll Mitchell 49; Lungi Ngidi 3/72, Kagiso Rabada 2/70) beat South Africa 312/9 (David Miller 100 n o, Rassie van der Dussen 69, Temba Bavuma 56; Mitchell Santner 3/43, Glenn Phillips 2/27, Matt Henry 2/43) by 50 runs.

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