CT 2025 final: India, New Zealand to clash in white-ball final after 25 years

Fans are in for a thrilling showdown as India and New Zealand gear up to clash in a major whiteball tournament final for the first time in 25 years on SundayNew Zealand secured their place in the grand finale with a commanding victory over South Africa in the second Champions Trophy 2025 semifinal in Lahore on Wednesday The Black Caps will now have an opportunity to seek redemption against India having suffered a defeat against them in their final Group A matchIndia were the first team to book a spot in the final after defeating Australia by four wickets in Dubai on Tuesday Under Rohit Sharmarsquos leadership the Men in Blue will look to extend their dominance while Kane Williamsonrsquos New Zealand will aim to overturn their previous loss in the tournamentPast final encounters between India and New ZealandThis will be the third ICC final between India and New Zealand Their last summit clash came in the 2021 ICC World Test Championship final in Southampton where New Zealand outclassed India by eight wickets in a rainaffected contest that extended over six daysSignificantly the last time these two teams met in a whiteball ICC tournament final was in the 2000 ICC Knockout Trophy in Nairobi where New Zealand triumphed over India by four wickets to claim their firstever ICC titleNZ vs SA Match recapMeanwhileRachin Ravindra and Williamson struck commanding centuries as New Zealand hammered South Africa by 50 runs in a highscoring semifinalRavindra played a brilliant knock of 108 runs off 101 balls laced with 13 fours and a six while Williamson struck 102 off 94 balls including 10 fours and two sixes after skipper Mitchell Santner opted to batDaryl Mitchell 49 off 37 balls Glenn Phillips 49 not out off 27 balls and Michael Bracewell 16 off 12 balls then capitalized on the solid foundation adding 112 runs in the final 10 overs to power New Zealand to a massive total of 3626 the highest score in Champions Trophy historyOnly twice has a higher target been successfully chased in ODIs both by South Africa but this time it was not to be as the Proteas were restricted to 312 for 9 in pursuit of the record target despite a scintillating century from David Miller 100 not out off 67 balls and fighting fifties by Rassie van der Dussen 69 and skipper Temba Bavuma 56Santner 343 was the most successful New Zealand bowler as he along with the other spinners Michael Bracewell 153 Glenn Phillips 227 and Ravindra 120 tightened the screws in the middle oversNew Zealand will now face former champions India in the final on Sunday in Dubai Wednesdays semifinal marked the end of Champions Trophy matches in PakistanChasing 363 for a win South Africa lost Ryan Rickelton early for 17 but Bavuma who initially struggled found his rhythm and shared a vital 105run partnership with van der Dussen with the duo bringing up the team century in the 18th overHowever New Zealand skipper Santners threewicket burst derailed the chaseThe leftarm spinner first broke the stand by removing Bavuma in the 23rd over before producing a beauty to clean up van der Dussen Santner then had the dangerous Heinrich Klaasen 3 holed out to Matt HenryRavindra then dismissed Aiden Markram 31 with a caughtandbowled effort leaving South Africa at 189 for 5 in the 33rd over Wiaan Mulder 8 Marco Jansen 3 and Keshav Maharaj 1 followed in quick succession before Miller put up a topclass show with 10 fours and four sixes to reach his hundred in the last ball of the South African run chaseEarlier opting to bat New Zealand built a strong opening stand of 48 between Ravindra and Will Young 21 before the latter was dismissed by Lungi Ngidi 372 in the eighth overRavindra and Williamson then shared 164 runs for the second wicket as the Kiwis crossed 250 in the 40th overRavindra looking in complete control played exquisite pull shots and backfoot drives on his way to his second century of this Champions Trophy following his 112 against Bangladesh This was his fifth hundred in an ICC tournament having also scored three centuries in the 2023 World Cup in IndiaWilliamson despite early jitters batted calmly to bring up his 15th ODI century and his fourth against South Africa He has now scored hundreds in his last three ODIs against the ProteasThe rightleft combination of Ravindra and Williamson proved difficult for the South African bowlers Allrounder Wiaan Mulder was forced off with a strain after bowling six overs for 48 runs and one wicketRavindra was caught by Heinrich Klaasen off the bowling of Kagiso Rabada 270 while Williamson mistimed a ramp shot to be caught by Ngidi off MulderMitchell then struck four fours and one six in his 37ball knock while Phillips blasted six fours and a six in 27 balls to swell the totalWith inputs from agencies