New Zealand stand in the way of South Africa's quest for ICC silverware

South Africa and New Zealand are set to clash in the semi-final of the ICC Champions Trophy in Lahore on Wednesday, 5 march, with both teams aiming to secure a rare piece of limited-overs silverware.

South Africa, who last won an ICC tournament in 1998, are looking to end their long trophy drought, while New Zealand are chasing their first major title since the 2000 Champions Trophy. The match at Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium comes just weeks after New Zealand defeated a weakened South African side by six wickets in a tri-series fixture at the same venue.

South Africa's painful history in ICC tournaments is well documented. They have reached the semi-finals or finals 13 times across limited-overs competitions but only have the 1998 Champions Trophy to show for it. Most recently, they lost to Australia in the 2023 World Cup semi-finals and fell to India in the T20 World Cup final last year despite being in a winning position.

The Proteas have bolstered their squad since their previous defeat to New Zealand, with fast bowlers Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen, alongside experienced spinner Keshav Maharaj, adding firepower to their bowling attack. All-rounder Jansen emphasised the importance of sticking to established processes in high-stakes matches.

"I wouldn't say the mindset changes; it's just the occasion that's probably a bit more hyped up," Jansen said. "You stick to your processes and try to execute them extraordinarily well in the semi-finals."

South Africa will also play in the World Test Championship final against Australia at Lord's in june, highlighting their consistency in reaching the business end of tournaments.

Captain Temba Bavuma's side received a potential setback with Aiden Markram's hamstring injury during their seven-wicket win over England. Spinning all-rounder George Linde has been called up as cover, though he is unlikely to feature in the semi-final, with his selection possibly aimed at a slower pitch in a potential final against India in Dubai on sunday.

New Zealand head into the semi-final with confidence, having not only beaten South Africa in the tri-series but also defeated Pakistan at the same ground. Coach Gary Stead believes the positive experiences from their recent visit to Lahore could give his side an edge.

"We are lucky. We've had some experience playing here in the tri-series before the tournament actually kicked off," Stead said. "We've got some on-ground experience and I guess some positive emotions to fall back on."

New Zealand have shown solid form throughout the tournament, with their pace trio of Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, and Will O'Rourke impressing against India in Dubai, where they restricted a strong batting line-up to 249-9 on a spin-friendly wicket.

Stead hinted that New Zealand are likely to stick with the same pace attack, complemented by spin options from their all-rounders. He also stressed the importance of taking wickets in the early and middle overs to avoid allowing South Africa to post a big total.

"We haven't been down to the ground yet to see if we're on a used wicket or not, but generally these are pretty good batting surfaces," Stead added. "They don't bounce too much."

The semi-final promises to be a high-scoring encounter, with both sides capable of putting up 300-plus totals. While New Zealand have the benefit of familiarity with the conditions in Lahore, South Africa's stronger bowling line-up could prove decisive.

Both teams are aware of the opportunity at hand. For South Africa, it is a chance to shed the "chokers" tag that has haunted them for decades. For New Zealand, it is another shot at proving their consistency on the global stage can finally translate into silverware.

The winner will face either India or Australia in the final in Dubai on 9 march, adding another layer of intrigue to what promises to be a fascinating contest.