New Zealand qualified for the final of the tri-nation series being played in Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium, by defeating South Africa by 6 wickets in a match of the series. Kane Williamson scored a brilliant unbeaten century, while Conway was dismissed for 97 runs.
The second match of the tri-series was held at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. New Zealand won the toss and decided to field,. South Africa batted first and scored 304 runs for the loss of 6 wickets.
New Zealand achieved the target of 305 runs in 48.4 overs for the loss of 4 wickets. Kane Williamson and Conway shared a brilliant partnership of 187 runs.
New Zealand's first wicket fell for 50 runs when Will Young was dismissed for 19 runs. Conway played an innings of 97 runs, which included a six and 9 fours. Daryl Mitchell scored 10 runs and Tom Latham was dismissed without scoring any runs.
Former captain Kane Williamson was named the man of the match for his unbeaten innings of 133 runs. He faced 113 balls and hit 2 sixes and 13 fours, while Glenn Phillips was not out with 28 runs.
For South Africa, Senuran Muthusamy claimed 2 wickets, Ethan Bosh and Junior Dala took one wicket each.
The third match of the tri-series will be played between South Africa and Pakistan on February 12 at the National Stadium in Karachi, and the winner will face New Zealand in the final.
Earlier, South Africa posted a total of 304 runs for the loss of six wickets in their allotted overs, setting a challenging 305-run target for New Zealand.
Debutant Matthew Breetzke played a sensational innings, scoring 150 runs off 148 balls, making history with the highest individual score on debut.
Breetzke broke the previous record held by West Indies’ Desmond Haynes, who had scored 148 runs on his debut in 1978.
In the bowling department, William O'Rourke claimed two wickets, while Matt Henry and Michael Bracewell took one wicket each for New Zealand.
New Zealand won the toss and elected to bowl first against South Africa in the second match of the Pakistan Tri-Nation Series at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore.
With conditions favoring early swing, New Zealand’s bowlers will aim to capitalize on the morning movement.
South Africa, led by captain Temba Bavuma, has included four debutants in their playing XI—Matthew Breetzke, Mihlali Mpongwana, Senuran Muthusamy, and Eathan Bosch. This marks the first time the Proteas have fielded four debutants in a single ODI. Meanwhile, New Zealand made a single change, bringing in Devon Conway instead of Rachin Ravindra.
Match Progress
South Africa started cautiously, reaching 6/0 in 1.2 overs. Temba Bavuma (3 off 4) and Matthew Breetzke (2 off 4) are at the crease, while Matt Henry and Will O’Rourke have begun proceedings with the ball for New Zealand.
The Lahore pitch is expected to assist fast bowlers early on but is known for being batter-friendly as the game progresses. With the Champions Trophy approaching, New Zealand coach Gary Stead hinted at workload management for the pacers in the coming games.
This is also the first day ODI in Pakistan since 2008, adding historical significance to the encounter. Fans have expressed excitement, with many recalling the nostalgic feel of morning ODIs from the 1990s.
Playing XIs:
New Zealand: Devon Conway, Will Young, Kane Williamson, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham (wk), Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner (c), Ben Sears, Matt Henry, Will O’Rourke.
South Africa: Temba Bavuma (c), Matthew Breetzke, Jason Smith, Kyle Verreynne (wk), Wiaan Mulder, Mihlali Mpongwana, Senuran Muthusamy, Eathan Bosch, Junior Dala, Lungi Ngidi, Tabraiz Shamsi.
