“If It Was 350, We Would Have Backed Ourselves!” – Bavuma Reflects on Yet Another Semi-Final Heartbreak

South Africa captain Temba Bavuma admits that New Zealand’s record total of 362/6 was beyond par, as the Proteas crash out of yet another ICC semi-final.

South Africa’s Knockout Woes Continue as New Zealand March On

Lahore, March 6 – Another ICC semi-final, another heartbreak for South Africa. Captain Temba Bavuma conceded that New Zealand’s imposing 362/6 was too big a target, admitting that had the Kiwis been restricted to 350, his team would have backed themselves to chase it down.

South Africa’s love affair with semi-final exits continued as New Zealand clinched a 50-run victory, knocking the Proteas out of the Champions Trophy 2025 and booking their ticket to the final in Dubai.

“I do think it was above par. Probably, if it was 350, we would have backed ourselves to chase the score. We had one or two partnerships today, but we needed me or Rassie to go on and emulate what two of their batters did,” Bavuma said in the post-match presentation.

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New Zealand’s Batting Brilliance Too Much for Proteas

The Blackcaps dominated from the start, with centuries from Kane Williamson (102) and Rachin Ravindra (108) setting the foundation for a record-breaking total. Their 164-run stand laid the groundwork for Daryl Mitchell (49) and Glenn Phillips (49)* to launch an explosive finish, lifting New Zealand to the highest total in Champions Trophy history.

“Kudos to them, credit to their batters—Rachin, Williamson, and even the batters who came in, Mitchell and Phillips. They really put us under pressure from the word go,” Bavuma added.

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Santner’s Breakthrough Ends South Africa’s Hopes

Chasing 363, South Africa got off to a solid start with Bavuma (56) and Rassie van der Dussen (69) adding a 105-run partnership. At 125/1, the game seemed evenly poised, but New Zealand’s captain Mitchell Santner changed everything, dismissing Bavuma to trigger a collapse.

Bavuma regretted his soft dismissal, acknowledging that a more ruthless approach could have prevented the opposition from coming back into the game.

“We had to be more decisive, not give an opportunity for the opposition to come back, and be ruthless. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to set that foundation. A bit of a soft dismissal for me and a better dismissal for Rassie, and we left too much for them in the end,” he admitted.

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What’s Next for South Africa?

With this latest semi-final exit, South Africa continues its long-standing history of faltering in ICC knockouts. As New Zealand marches into another ICC final, the Proteas are once again left searching for answers.

Will South Africa ever overcome their knockout-stage curse, or is this heartbreak destined to repeat itself?

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Tags: South Africa vs New Zealand, ICC Champions Trophy 2025, Temba Bavuma, Kane Williamson, Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Santner, Cricket Semi-Final, ICC Knockout Defeat, Cricket Records, NZ in ICC Finals