LAHORE: Aiden Markram took one final glance at the pitch as he walked off the field, visibly frustrated. The ball had risen unexpectedly, leaving him unable to adjust, resulting in a soft return catch to Rachin Ravindra at the Gaddafi Stadium on Wednesday.
Chasing a daunting target of 363, South Africa found themselves struggling at 189-5 by the end of the 33rd over, with familiar ghosts of past ICC tournaments resurfacing. In yet another high-stakes match, South Africa’s hopes of Champions Trophy glory were slipping away.
Just 10 overs earlier, South Africa had appeared to regain some momentum in the semi-final, only to be thwarted by New Zealand’s spin maestro Mitchell Santner, who finished with figures of 3-43. Santner’s crucial breakthroughs included dismissing South African captain Temba Bavuma (57), ending a solid 105-run second-wicket partnership, and removing Rassie van der Dussen (69) and Heinrich Klaasen within 11 deliveries, firmly putting New Zealand in control.
Michael Bracewell further compounded South Africa’s woes by dismissing Wiaan Mulder, while Ravindra’s contribution added to the pressure. South Africa struggled against New Zealand’s spin attack, with Glenn Phillips also claiming two wickets.
The outcome seemed inevitable for South Africa, though David Miller provided a late spark with a century off the final ball of the innings, much to the delight of the local crowd gathered for the tournament’s last match in Pakistan. The final, between India and New Zealand, is scheduled for Sunday in Dubai.
Miller’s 67-ball innings offered some consolation for South Africa, who now look ahead to future global tournaments to end their title drought, which dates back to the 1998 ICC Knockout Trophy—the precursor to the Champions Trophy.
Reflecting on the loss, Bavuma acknowledged that South Africa lacked ruthlessness, while head coach Rob Walter pointed to their struggles in the final 10 overs, where New Zealand amassed 110 runs. Walter also highlighted the early dominance of Ravindra and Kane Williamson, who both scored centuries to set the tone for New Zealand’s innings.
“Today wasn’t our best day, although we played well throughout the tournament,” Walter said during a press conference. “We’ll continue to learn and evolve as a team. With two-and-a-half years until the 2027 ODI World Cup, our focus remains on the ultimate prize.”
Miller expressed his disappointment, stating, “I’m totally gutted. Chasing 360 was always going to be tough, but we had a solid foundation. Losing wickets in the middle overs cost us. Despite the loss, we’re proud of our efforts. There’s always a winner and a loser, and unfortunately, it was us this time.”
South Africa’s journey to the semi-final was further complicated by an unnecessary trip to Dubai after their final group game to determine their semi-final venue. India, having played all their matches in Dubai, had their semi-final location pre-decided. Miller refrained from making excuses but admitted the situation was far from ideal.
“It’s only an hour and 40 minutes flight, but flying out early in the morning after the game and arriving in Dubai before heading to Lahore at 7 a.m. wasn’t ideal. It didn’t give us much time to recover and regroup,” Miller explained.
As the tournament concludes, Miller’s century provided a final moment of excitement for the Pakistan crowd, who witnessed the last roar of the Champions Trophy on home soil. The focus now shifts to Dubai, where India and New Zealand will battle for the title on Sunday.
