πππππ :βΒ ββSouth Africa vs New Zealandββββ
ππππ : March 05, Wednesday
ππππ : 14:30 PM ISTββ
πππππ : Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore Cantt, Pakistanβ
ππππππππππ : 2nd ODI Semi Final,2025
South Africa’s aim to march into a well-deserved final
- South Africa hasn’t lost a game in the tournament and will be confident
- New Zealand failed to chase a target of 250 runs in their last game
- South Africa has a better spin attack, which helps in these conditions
South Africa vs New Zealand
TV channels: The fans can watch the match live on Hotstar
Live Streaming: Live streaming of the match will be available on the FAFA191 Cricket Exchange India and website.
RSA vs NZ Match Prediction & Analysis
It is a big game in the ICC Champions Trophy, 2025. South Africa will be up against New Zealand in the tournament’s 2nd Semifinal, and we expect both teams to fight hard to book a berth in the title decider. South Africa will be confident after their big win against England in their last league game. New Zealand must come out of their sub-par show against India, where they messed up with an easy run chase.
The South Africans have enjoyed an unblemished record in this tournament. The batting lineup has done well, and the bowling attack looks good. It will make them confident in this contest. New Zealand lost the last game, and the batting lineup did not deliver the goods. The confidence would have taken a hit in the camp. It will be interesting to see how they can make a comeback.
TEAMS PREVIEW
South Africa Preview
Temba Bavuma’s team has looked in good shape in both wins. They had to share the points with Australia in their other game and finished at the top of the points table in their group. They dominated the English side in the last match, registering a 7-wicket win. Bavuma would like his side to ride this momentum and book a berth in the next round with another victory.
Ryan Rickelton is batting well in the tournament and will look to deliver a good start in this game with Aiden Markram. Bavuma must anchor the innings in the middle order, holding his wicket and add runs with in-form Rassie van der Dussen and Heinrich Klaasen. David Miller is a good finisher and will look to do well in the lower middle order with Wiaan Mulder and Marco Jansen.
The bowling attack will feel confident after doing well in both wins. The teams need early strikes from Lungi Ngidi and Marco Jansen in this game, as the Kiwi top order has struggled against the new ball. After their good spell in the last game, Kagiso Rabada and Mulder will be confident. Markram and Keshav Maharaj will look to take advantage of the conditions and trouble the Kiwis.
New Zealand Preview
Mitchell Santner and his team suffered their first loss in the last game. They went down against the Indians by 44 runs in a low-scoring contest where their batsmen struggled to rotate the strike. Santner would fancy his team’s chances against the South Africans with a bowling attack well-suited for these conditions. The South Africans will come hard on them, and Santner would like his team to play to its potential in the game.
Will Young and Rachin Ravindra struggled in the last game, and the team expects a better start in this contest. Kane Williamson’s return to form is excellent news for the team, and he must build partnerships with Tom Latham and Daryl Mitchell in the middle order. Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, and Mitchell Santner are good hitters and shall look to add quick runs in the lower middle order.
The bowlers did a good job against the Indians in the last game. Matt Henry will be confident with his 5-wicket haul and must strike early in the game with Kyle Jamieson to put the South Africans under pressure. William O’Rourke and Santner must bowl crucial spells in the middle overs. Rachin Ravindra and Bracewell will enjoy the conditions and must bowl well in this game.
Weather Conditions
We will have clear skies over Lahore. It will make batting easy on a flat track where batsmen can play their strokes freely. There won’t be much on the surface for the fast bowlers, but spinners will enjoy bowling on this track. The average first-inning here in the tournament has been 316 runs, and the team batting first will aim for 330 on the board.
RSA vs NZ Pitch Report
Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, is known for being a batsman’s paradise. The outfield is quick, which allows for easy run-scoring for the batsmen. Bowlers, especially the fast bowlers, have always found it challenging to bowl here. It is a good venue for the spinners, as the ball occasionally takes sharp turns.
Toss: To Bat
It has been a flat surface at Lahore in all games, and the teams will fancy putting up a big total on the board. There are no demons on this track for the batsmen and they can score freely. Hence, the team winning the toss won’t hesitate to bat first.
