Lahore, Mar 5: Rachin Ravindra smashed his fifth ODI hundred and second of 2025 Champions Trophy, 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 in their 50 overs in the second semifinal at the Gaddafi Stadium on Wednesday.

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 as South Africa will have to put an almighty effort in chasing a record 363.

Ravindra and Will Young were largely untroubled at the start of New Zealand’s innings. Ravindra, in particular, was in sparkling touch - hitting Jansen for three boundaries in the seventh over - and two of them were well-timed boundaries through cover, while the other one was hit through mid-wicket.

Ngidi provided first breakthrough for South Africa by having Young miscue a slower ball to mid-on in the eighth over. Williamson, fresh off a valiant 81 against India, began nicely by steering Ngidi and Rabada for a boundary each.

Ravindra reached his half-century off 47 balls by pulling Mulder for four, before pulling him again for the same result and getting forward to drive through the on-side for picking his third boundary of the 18th over. He and Williamson were adept at rotating the strike, leading to South Africa not being able to exert much pressure.

Ravindra took a liking to Maharaj’s left-arm spin bowling – after lofting him for four, he danced down the pitch to hit another boundary. He then lofted cleanly to smash a six over long-on, before getting an outside edge past keeper for four.

Williamson joined the boundary-hitting spree by flicking Maharaj for six and then getting his fifty in 61 balls off Aiden Markram, before taking a four off him via a reverse-sweep. He had luck on his side when Heinrich Klaasen dropped a tough catch behind stumps off Ngidi’s bowling.

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, before he and Williamson took three fours collectively off him in the 32nd over yielding 17 runs.

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, ending his knock at 108 off 101 balls.

Williamson, though, marched forward with his sweep, steer and scoop to fetch boundaries and get 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.

After Tom Latham attempted scoop resulted in his stumps being left in a mess by Rabada, Mitchell provided late impetus to the innings by hitting Jansen for two fours, before swatting Ngidi for a six and two fours on successive deliveries. Phillips joined the slog overs party by slapping Ngidi through point for four, before taking four consecutive boundaries off Jansen.

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 in 50 overs (Rachin Ravindra 108, Kane Williamson 102; Lungi Ngidi 3-72, Kagiso Rabada 2-70) against South Africa.

(IANS)

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