Lahore [Pakistan], March 5: New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner won the toss and chose to bat first in the second semi-final of the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy against South Africa on Wednesday.
South Africa, having topped Group A, will face New Zealand, the second-ranked team from Group B, in what promises to be an exciting encounter.
After winning the toss, Santner explained, “We are going to bat first. It looks like a good wicket, a bit dry. It’s a privilege to captain my country, and our goal is to play good cricket. We have the same team as before. Last game was in foreign conditions, but we’ve had a few games here in the tri-series. We’ll look to put pressure on them.”
South African captain Temba Bavuma responded, saying, “We’re not too concerned, but we would have preferred to bat. Our bowlers need to bowl well, and our batters need to perform. There’s just one change, I’m feeling much better now. We’ve learned from previous semi-finals and finals, and we need to win the key moments. We’re confident and treating this as just another game, regardless of it being the semi-final.”
South Africa (Playing XI):
- Ryan Rickelton, Temba Bavuma (c), Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen (w), David Miller, Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi
New Zealand (Playing XI):
- Will Young, Rachin Ravindra, Kane Williamson, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham (w), Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner (c), Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, William O’Rourke
Key Features:
- New Zealand elects to bat first in ICC Champions Trophy semi-final.
- South Africa, led by Temba Bavuma, has one change, with Bavuma returning to the lineup.
- Both teams are confident despite the high-pressure situation of a semi-final.
Key Model:
- Mitchell Santner’s decision to bat first on a dry wicket, emphasizing the importance of playing good cricket under pressure.
- Temba Bavuma’s calm and confident approach, focusing on key moments to determine the outcome of the match.