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It’s New Zealand who are going to play the final against India in the ongoing Champions Trophy 2025. New Zealand has defeated South Africa in the second semifinal by 50 runs. New Zealand won the toss and decided to bat first, and with the help of Kane Williamson and Rachin Ravindra’s tons, they set a target of 363 runs in front of South Africa.
South Africa, while chasing the target of 363 runs, only managed to make 312 runs, which showed them the exit from the Champions Trophy, and it also ended their dream to lift the second Champions Trophy title. South Africa’s hard-hitting batsman David Millier fought till the last over and made a century, but even his hard-hitting didn’t help South Africa reach the final. New Zealand remains in contention for their second Champions Trophy title, while India is seeking its third. Interestingly, India has a poor record against New Zealand in ICC knockout matches, which adds an extra layer of complexity to the upcoming contest.
Earlier in the tournament, India defeated New Zealand by 44 runs in a group-stage match in Dubai. With New Zealand now having experience playing in Dubai, the challenge for India has intensified. South Africa’s continued streak of losing ICC tournaments has again put them in the tag of ‘chokers’.
The Proteas have been playing really good cricket in the last few years by reaching the semifinals and finals of ICC tournaments, but they have failed to win the knockout matches. South Africa lost the 2023 ODI World Cup semifinal against Australia and the 2024 T20 World Cup final against India. Notably, South Africa has also qualified for the ICC Test Championship Final, and they will play Australia in June 2025.
