South Africa and New Zealand will face each other in the second semi-final of the ongoing Champions Trophy on 5th March in Lahore.
Match Preview:
The Proteas dominated Group B, finishing undefeated with victories against Afghanistan and England, with the exception of a rain-affected match against Australia. Their most recent performance was a decisive seven-wicket victory over England, when they successfully chased down a target of 180 in 29.1 overs.
SA has been in excellent shape, with a strong mix of experienced players and emerging talent. Temba Bavuma has been in excellent form, and Rassie van der Dussen and David Miller have been the backbones of their batting lineup.
Furthermore, Ryan Rickelton and Tristan Stubbs have demonstrated consistency at the top. The all-round abilities of Marco Jansen and Wiaan Mulder bring balance to the team, while the devastating pace duo of Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi can crush any batting lineup. Keshav Maharaj’s spin in the middle-overs will also be effective.
The Black Caps lost to India but defeated Bangladesh and Pakistan to finish second in Group A. NZ will, however, rely on their prior victories in Lahore, particularly against South Africa.
In their most recent meeting in February, Devon Conway fell three runs short of Kane Williamson’s century. They therefore want to maintain these excellent standards tomorrow as well. The Kiwis have a history of putting forth strong performances in International Cricket Council (ICC) knockout matches overall.
Glenn Phillips and Michael Bracewell will supply firepower in the middle, while Williamson, Rachin Ravindra, and Daryl Mitchell will front the batting order. Mitchell Santner’s spin could be crucial in controlling the game in the middle overs, while Matt Henry and Kyle Jamieson’s speed attack will aim to bother the South African batsmen.
Probable Playing XI:
South Africa (possible): 1 Temba Bavuma (capt), 2 Ryan Rickelton, 3 Rassie van der Dussen, 4 Aiden Markram, 5 Heinrich Klaasen (wk), 6 David Miller, 7 Wiaan Mulder, 8 Marco Jansen, 9 Keshav Maharaj, 10 Kagiso Rabada, 11 Lungi Ngidi
New Zealand (possible): 1 Will Young, 2 Rachin Ravindra/Devon Conway, 3 Kane Williamson, 4 Daryl Mitchell, 5 Tom Latham (wk), 6 Glenn Phillips, 7 Michael Bracewell, 8 Mitchell Santner (capt), 9 Matt Henry, 10 Kyle Jamieson, 11 Will O’Rourke
Pitch and weather report:
This year’s five ODIs have seen an average first innings score of 316.5, with the chasing side and the batting team sharing the results. It is anticipated that the bowlers will have a difficult outing and the hitters will have another belter. Heinrich Klaasen said there will be some rain when South Africa arrives in the city on Monday, but the semi-final is expected to be mild and clear.
Head-to-head record:
South Africa has won 42 of the 73 times the two countries have played each other in the ODI format, while New Zealand has won 26. Additionally, five games ended without a result.
Prediction:
Although it is tough, South Africa has a greater chance to win the second semi-final of the Champions Trophy.
Where to Watch:
India: Jio Hotstar,
Pakistan: Myco, Tapmad, and Tamasha app
UAE and MENA: STARZPLAY
USA and Canada: Streaming on Willow by Cricbuzz app (Hindi coverage available)
Caribbean: ESPN Play Caribbean app
Australia: PrimeVideo
New Zealand: SkyGo app.
South Africa and sub-Saharan territories: SuperSport and SuperSport App
Bangladesh: Nagorik TV
Afghanistan: ATN
Sri Lanka: Maharaja TV
