The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 semifinal today features South Africa vs. New Zealand at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore at 2:30 PM IST. The pitch is generally good for batting, with historical stats favoring chasing teams. South Africa has a strong record at this venue, leading their ODI rivalry with New Zealand overall, though New Zealand has been in good form recently.
Today, March 5, South Africa is set to face New Zealand in the second semifinal of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, Pakistan, commencing at 2:30 PM IST. The pitch is anticipated to favor batting, although bowlers displaying precision and adaptability can find success as well. Historically, teams chasing in a match after winning the toss tend to secure high scores.
In the last ODI at Gaddafi Stadium, Afghanistan’s Ibrahim Zadran scored a remarkable 177 runs while facing England, contributing to a total of 325/7 before England fell short by 8 runs. The venue has hosted 72 ODIs in total, with teams batting first achieving 38 wins compared to 30 wins for chasing teams. Notably, two matches ended without a result, and there was one tie.
South Africa’s record at this venue includes winning 6 out of 11 ODIs. In contrast, New Zealand has played 7 ODIs at Gaddafi Stadium, securing 2 victories. Their overall head-to-head count in ODIs shows South Africa leading with 42 wins out of 73 matches played, while New Zealand has 26 victories and 5 matches without results. Recent form sees New Zealand winning 4 out of their last 5 games, whereas South Africa has won 2.
Both teams are evenly matched in the ICC Champions Trophy, with each winning one match in two encounters. Their latest ODI clash was in February 2025, where New Zealand successfully chased down a target of 304, winning by six wickets. Today’s game is expected to feature excellent batting conditions due to abundant sunshine and a moderate North-Westerly wind that may assist swing bowlers during the early overs, with no rain expected to disrupt the match.
In summary, the semifinal match between South Africa and New Zealand in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 promises excellent batting conditions and a historical rivalry. Both teams have shown strong performances leading up to this match, and the pitch is expected to favor aggressive batting while still providing opportunities for accurate bowlers. With favorable weather anticipated, the match is set to be an exciting showdown without interruptions.
Original Source: www.livemint.com
