Delhi: South Africa lost by 50 runs against New Zealand in the second semi -final of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 played at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Wednesday. This defeat became a story of disappointment in the knockout phase in another ICC tournament for South Africa. New Zealand, batting first, scored a huge score of 362 runs, in response to which South Africa could score 312 runs. There were many reasons behind this defeat. Come, let’s discuss the major reasons for this defeat in detail.
South Africa’s bowling strategy decreased
The New Zealand batsmen took an aggressive stance from the beginning, but the South African bowlers failed to stop it. The team fed only one expert spinner (Keshav Maharaj), which did not prove to be effective in stopping the big score. There was more dependence on the fast bowlers, but they also proved to be expensive. New Zealand batsmen took advantage of loose balls and brought the score to 362. If South Africa had shown diversity in its bowling, such as additional spinner or better yorker, the score could have been limited.
Captain Temba Bavuma’s slow innings in batting
Bavuma may score runs, but his strike rate was not enough to pursue this big target. The target of 363 runs required a fast start and frequent aggression, but Bavuma took a defensive stance. This increased the pressure in the middle overs, which affected the subsequent batsmen. His slow batting kept the team away at the pace that was necessary for such a big chase.
Henrich Klassen’s not running on an important occasion
Klassen is known for his explosive batting and had high expectations in this match. However, he failed to leave his mark in this semi -finals. David Miller definitely scored a century, but the team could not get the additional enthusiasm, which was necessary to reach the target. His failure weakened the middle order and South Africa clearly saw its impact in the final over.
Strategic preparation decreased against New Zealand
South Africa underestimated the depth of New Zealand’s batting. The middle and lower order of the Kiwi team performed brilliantly, which South Africa did not see any concrete plan to stop. There was no flexibility in bowling change and field settings, so that New Zealand easily scored runs. This strategic mistake was heavy for South Africa and became a major cause of defeat.
Choking the team under pressure
South Africa’s ICC tournaments have the tag of “Chockers” in the knockout matches. In this match too, the team was shattered under pressure chasing a big score. Despite Miller’s century, other batsmen did not support and the necessary run rate in the final overs could not be achieved. This mental pressure and lack of confidence were a major reason for South Africa’s defeat.
Overall, if South Africa worked on these aspects, perhaps the result could have been another. Now in the final, New Zealand will face India, while South Africa will have to wait for another opportunity.
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