Former South Africa cricketer Jonty Rhodes has finally weighed in on the ongoing debate about whether New Zealand's Glenn Phillips is a better fielder than him. This comes after Phillips' impressive fielding performances during the Champions Trophy, where he took three stunning catches to dismiss top batters. Despite being 55 years old, Rhodes proved he still has what it takes as he delivered a brilliant effort in the International Masters League.
As New Zealand faces India in the final of the Champions Trophy, net bowler Shashwat Tiwari reveals that his team is facing a tough challenge preparing for India's spin quartet. In their group-stage meeting, New Zealand were tricked by Varun Chakravarthy's five-for, and now they are focusing on preparing for left-arm spinners like Ravindra Jadeja. However, with the experienced Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel in India's spin attack, it won't be an easy task for New Zealand's batters. Captain Mitchell Santner admits that they were troubled by spin in their semifinal clash against South Africa, and they will need to rotate strike and hit boundaries to counter India's spinners.
South African cricketer David Miller has raised concerns over the scheduling of the second Champions Trophy semifinal, which his team lost to New Zealand. Due to the hybrid format of the tournament, South Africa had to fly back and forth between Pakistan and Dubai in a short span of time, while their opponents were stationed in one venue. Despite wanting New Zealand to win the final against India, Miller expects a tough game.
In the second Champions Trophy semifinal, New Zealand's opening duo of Rachin Ravindra and Kane Williamson made history by scoring centuries each against South Africa. Their partnership of 164 runs set the stage for New Zealand to finish with a massive total of 362 for 6, the highest in Champions Trophy history. Despite a strong start from South African bowler Lungi Ngidi, who picked up three wickets, the later batters for New Zealand provided the final fireworks. This marks the end of the Champions Trophy in Pakistan, with the final now set to take place in Dubai between India and the winners of this match.
In a dominant performance, New Zealand's Kane Williamson and Rachin Ravindra lead their team to a 50-run victory over South Africa in the ICC Champions Trophy semifinals. Facing a mammoth target of 363, South Africa struggled to adapt to the pitch, while Williamson and Rachin expertly used the crease and angles to frustrate their opponents. Only bowler Keshav Maharaj was able to keep the Kiwi duo in check, but even he couldn't withstand their innovative tactics and calm demeanor. With this win, New Zealand secures a spot in the finals against India, solidifying their reputation as a formidable and professional team in the tournament.
In the 2025 Champions Trophy semi-final, New Zealand has won the toss and elected to bat first against South Africa. The winner of this game will face India in the final in Dubai. After losing to India in their previous match, New Zealand has retained the same playing eleven, while South Africa's captain Bavuma returns after illness and Markram retains his place after recovering from injury. Both teams are determined to win and secure their spot in the final.
New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner acknowledges the challenges of constant travel but reassures that his team is ready for their semi-final match against South Africa in the Champions Trophy. After winning their first two games in Pakistan and losing in Dubai, the team now faces another flight back to Pakistan for their crucial match in Lahore. The tournament's hybrid model and the controversy surrounding India's advantage has also been a topic of debate.
In a thrilling semifinal match of the 2025 Champions Trophy, New Zealand posted the highest-ever total in the tournament's history, scoring 362 runs thanks to centuries from Rachin Ravindra and Kane Williamson. Despite a valiant effort from South Africa's bowlers, quickfire innings from Glenn Phillips and Daryl Mitchell took the Kiwis to a massive total. After losing an early wicket, South Africa will need a miracle to chase down the target of 363 runs. Tune in for live updates and full scorecard.
In a thrilling semi-final match of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, New Zealand's Rachin Ravindra and Kane Williamson put on an impressive performance, each scoring a century, as they led their team to a huge total of 362/6 against South Africa. Despite a valiant effort from South Africa's batting line-up, they were unable to chase down the target as New Zealand secured their spot in the final. This is only the second time in ODI history that such a large total was achieved in the second innings, with both instances involving South Africa.
New Zealand's Kane Williamson puts on a phenomenal performance in the Champions Trophy semi-final against South Africa, scoring a "terrific" century. UK viewers can follow live updates on the match which is only available to them. Former footballer Chris Sutton believes that Arsenal's dominant form makes them capable of winning the Champions League while basketball player Luka Doncic is in awe of LeBron James' 50,000 point milestone and commentary notes the intensity of local rivalries compared to their Dales equivalent.