New Zealand 362 for 6 (Ravindra 108, Williamson 102, Mitchell 49, Phillips 49*, Ngidi 3-72, Rabada 2-70) beat South Africa 312 for 9 (Miller 100*, van der Dussen 69, Bavuma 56, Santner 3-43, Phillips 2-27, Henry 2-43) by 50 runs

New Zealand stormed into their seventh ICC final and fourth in the ODI format with a commanding 50-run win over South Africa in the Champions Trophy semi-final in Lahore. They posted a record-breaking 326/6—the highest total in the tournament’s history—before bowling South Africa out of contention.

Rachin Ravindra starred with his fifth ODI century, all in ICC events, while Kane Williamson anchored the innings with his third consecutive ton against South Africa. Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips added rapid 49s to propel New Zealand to a formidable total. Captain Mitchell Santner then led with the ball, picking up 3/43, including key wickets of Temba Bavuma, Rassie van der Dussen, and Heinrich Klaasen.

South Africa never looked in control during the chase, with only David Miller putting up a fight, smashing a century off the last ball of the innings. This loss adds to South Africa’s troubled history in knockouts, having now lost nine of 11 ODI semi-finals. Their fielding lapses and lack of bowling discipline, despite Lungi Ngidi’s efforts (2/57), proved costly.

Ravindra and Williamson’s 164-run stand laid the foundation for New Zealand’s dominance. While Ravindra kept up the tempo, Williamson took his time before accelerating. Their approach left South Africa searching for answers, with Marco Jansen and Keshav Maharaj going wicketless.

Winning the toss, Santner opted to bat, anticipating scoreboard pressure on South Africa—and his plan worked. Despite an early wicket, New Zealand settled quickly, with Ravindra taking on the bowlers, especially Jansen. Williamson overcame a slow start to reach his century, shifting gears as the innings progressed.

With another clinical performance, New Zealand marched into the final against India, carrying immense momentum, while South Africa’s search for a second ICC title continues.

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International games

• South Africa vs New Zealand

  NZ 362/6 (50)

  RSA 312/9 (50)

  New Zealand won by 50 runs

Omarzai become No. 1 ranked ODI allrounder

Azmatullah Omarzai has climbed to the top of the ICC ODI allrounder rankings, overtaking his Afghanistan teammate Mohammad Nabi after a standout Champions Trophy 2025 campaign.

Despite Afghanistan missing out on a semi-final spot, Omarzai had an impressive tournament, picking up seven wickets in three matches, including a match-winning 5 for 58 against England. With the bat, he contributed 126 runs at an average of 42 and a strike rate of 104.13, often steadying Afghanistan’s lower-middle order in tricky situations. His performances saw him rise two places in the rankings, now sitting four points clear of Nabi. He also jumped 12 spots in the ODI batting rankings, reaching 24th.

For India, Virat Kohli moved up to fourth in the batting rankings after his match-winning 84 against Australia in the semi-final, adding to his unbeaten century against Pakistan in the group stage. Meanwhile, Shubman Gill continues to lead the rankings, followed by Babar Azam at No. 2 and Heinrich Klaasen at No. 3. Rohit Sharma, however, has slipped to fifth. Steven Smith, who announced his ODI retirement earlier in the day, finishes his career ranked 16th.

Afghanistan’s Ibrahim Zadran was among the biggest gainers, jumping 13 places to break into the top 10 after his stunning 177 against England.

In the bowling rankings, New Zealand’s Matt Henry moved up three spots to third, just behind Maheesh Theekshana and Keshav Maharaj. India’s Mohammed Shami, making a strong comeback from injury, also rose three places to 11th. Shami and Henry currently lead the Champions Trophy wicket-takers list with eight wickets each, ahead of New Zealand’s semi-final clash with South Africa.

Domestic cricket + T20 leagues

• Auckland vs Central Districts

  CD 414/4 (96)  CRR: 4.31

  Day 1: Stumps

Wednesday History

501*: The Day Brian Lara Redefined What Was Possible

On June 6, 1994, at Edgbaston, Brian Lara didn't just break cricket's first-class batting record – he shattered it. His unbeaten 501 for Warwickshire against Durham remains the highest individual score in first-class cricket history, a testament to both his extraordinary talent and his insatiable appetite for runs.

What makes this innings even more remarkable is its context. Just two months earlier, Lara had broken the Test record by scoring 375 against England in Antigua. Most players would have been content with one record-breaking achievement, but Lara was different. During his time with Warwickshire in 1994, he was in the form of his life, averaging over 100 and breaking records seemingly at will.

The innings itself was a masterclass in batting. After Durham scored 556 in their first innings, Lara walked in at 8/1. What followed was six hours and 45 minutes of batting brilliance, during which he faced 427 balls and struck 62 fours and 10 sixes. His scoring rate was phenomenal – he reached his century before lunch on the second day and kept accelerating.

Perhaps the most fascinating aspect of this innings was how Lara approached the previous record of 499, set by Hanif Mohammad in 1959. As he approached the milestone, word spread through Birmingham, and crowds began gathering at Edgbaston. When he finally surpassed 499 with a cover drive for four, the celebration was electric. Warwickshire declared immediately after, with Lara remaining unbeaten on 501.

The statistics from that innings are mind-boggling. Lara scored at a rate of 117 runs per 100 balls – remarkable for a first-class match in 1994. He contributed 501 out of his team's total of 810/4, meaning he scored nearly 62% of all runs made during his time at the crease. Even more impressively, he ran 174 of his runs, showing incredible stamina and concentration throughout the marathon knock.

What sets this record apart is the quality of the achievement. While other cricket records have fallen in the modern era, Lara's 501* has stood unchallenged for nearly three decades. The closest anyone has come since is 452 not out by Bhausaheb Nimbalkar in Indian domestic cricket.

The innings showcased everything that made Lara special: his perfect balance, his ability to score all around the wicket, and most importantly, his mental strength to keep going when most batsmen would have been satisfied with a double or triple century. It wasn't just about the runs – it was about pushing the boundaries of what was considered possible in cricket.

Today, as T20 cricket dominates headlines and batsmen regularly score at faster rates, Lara's 501* remains special because it combined aggression with the stamina and technique required for long-form cricket. It stands as a reminder that in cricket, as in all sports, there are rare moments when supreme talent meets perfect conditions to create something truly extraordinary.

On This Day

1951

Few cricketers have made a debut as explosive as Australian fast bowler Rodney Hogg, who was born on this day. Thrust into a depleted Australian side during the 1978-79 Ashes, with many top players absent due to World Series Cricket, Hogg made an unforgettable impact. He tore through England’s batting lineup, taking five five-wicket hauls in his first three Tests and finishing the series with a remarkable 41 wickets. Unfortunately for Australia, his heroics weren’t enough to prevent a crushing 5-1 series defeat.

Blond and seriously quick, Hogg remained in the Australian setup even after the return of World Series players and went on to play 39 Tests. However, his blistering form from that debut series proved hard to replicate. He took just one more five-wicket haul, in Barbados during the 1983-84 tour, in another losing cause. In fact, Hogg's record reflected Australia’s struggles—his bowling average was an impressive 22 in matches they lost but jumped to 36 when they managed to avoid defeat.

Coming tomorrow

• Sri Lanka Masters vs West Indies Masters

• Victoria vs South Australia

What else is happening

• Steven Smith retires from ODI cricket, remains committed to Tests

• UPW cannot afford any mistakes against Mumbai Indians