"Feels Nice to Qualify"—Mitchell Santner Lauds Rachin & Bracewell After Champions Trophy SF Berth

New Zealand skipper Mitchell Santner expressed delight as the Blackcaps stormed into the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 semi-finals, crediting Rachin Ravindra’s century and Michael Bracewell’s four-wicket haul for their dominant win over Bangladesh.

Rawalpindi [Pakistan], February 25: New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner was all smiles after his team secured a place in the semi-finals of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 with a clinical five-wicket win over Bangladesh at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Monday.

With two wins in two matches, the Kiwis joined India in the semi-finals, while Bangladesh and Pakistan were officially knocked out of the tournament.

"Rachin Loves ICC Events"—Santner Praises Ravindra & Bracewell

Speaking after the match, Santner lauded his team’s collective effort but reserved special praise for Michael Bracewell’s brilliant spell (4/26) and Rachin Ravindra’s record-breaking century (112 off 105 balls).

"Feels nice to qualify. We knew Bangladesh would be a challenge. The way we pulled things back with the ball was amazing," Santner said.

Highlighting Bracewell’s impact, he added,
"It’s hard to take middle-over wickets in ODIs, but Bracewell was amazing. He is a quality bowler now—the way he changes his pace on these wickets is outstanding."

On Rachin’s match-winning knock, Santner couldn’t hide his admiration:
"He is doing Rachin things, I guess. He loves ICC events. Looks like he never left the game. He was not as fluid as he would have liked, but once he gets going, he’s tough to stop."

New Zealand to Face India in Group Decider

Looking ahead to their final group-stage clash against India on March 2 in Dubai, Santner acknowledged that it will be a new challenge.

"It will be a different challenge on a different surface. Might be slower (the pitch)," he remarked.

Match Recap: Bracewell & Rachin Shine in Commanding Win

Winning the toss and electing to bowl first, New Zealand’s disciplined bowling effort restricted Bangladesh to 236/9 in 50 overs.

• Najmul Hossain Shanto (77 off 110 balls) held Bangladesh’s innings together, while Jaker Ali (45 off 55 balls) provided a late boost.
• Michael Bracewell (4/26) and William O’Rourke (2/48) were the pick of the Kiwi bowlers.

In response, New Zealand’s chase started shakily, losing Will Young (0) and Kane Williamson (5) early, leaving them struggling at 15/2.

However, Rachin Ravindra (112) and Tom Latham (55) stitched a match-winning 129-run partnership, guiding the Kiwis to victory with five wickets and 23 balls to spare. Glenn Phillips (21) and Bracewell (11)** finished the job.

Bracewell’s all-round brilliance earned him the ‘Player of the Match’ award.

What’s Next?

New Zealand will now face India on March 2 in Dubai in their final group-stage clash before heading into the semi-finals.

Tags:

New Zealand vs Bangladesh, ICC Champions Trophy 2025, Rachin Ravindra, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner, NZ cricket, Champions Trophy semi-finals, Tom Latham, Bangladesh cricket, Kane Williamson, NZ vs IND