Who will rise, who will fall? New Zealand and South Africa set for a high-stakes showdown! After enduring a brutal travel schedule, New Zealand are fired up to take on South Africa in the Champions Trophy semi-final on Wednesday, says skipper Mitchell Santner.
Following two strong wins in Pakistan, the Kiwis stumbled against India in Dubai before making a rapid return to Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium for the knockout clash. Despite the exhausting turnaround, Santner insists his team is locked in and ready for battle.
“It was actually more of a daytime sleep,” Santner admitted on Tuesday. “The travel was tough, but we’re here, we’ve reset, and now it’s all about training today and the big game tomorrow.”
The tournament’s controversial hybrid format—designed after India refused to play in Pakistan—has been slammed for creating an uneven playing field. While India played all their matches in Dubai, other Group A teams—Pakistan, New Zealand, and Bangladesh—were forced to travel back and forth. India, who dominated the group stage, faced Australia in the other semi-final in Dubai.
South Africa, too, faced scheduling chaos, flying to Dubai without even knowing their semi-final opponent, only to return to Pakistan within 24 hours without playing a match.
Santner acknowledged the grueling demands of international cricket but emphasized the need to stay sharp, especially for the bowlers. Despite their 44-run loss to India, New Zealand had already secured their spot in the semi-finals and are now laser-focused on the challenge ahead.
South Africa, coming off dominant wins over England and Afghanistan, have been in red-hot form. Santner praised their well-rounded squad, highlighting their lethal pace attack and spin threats in Keshav Maharaj, Tabraiz Shamsi, and Aiden Markram.
With a place in the final on the line, the stakes couldn’t be higher. Will New Zealand’s resilience carry them through, or will South Africa’s firepower prove too strong? One thing is certain—the battle in Lahore is set to be an electrifying clash of skill, strategy, and sheer determination.