Champions Trophy: New Zealand hold off South Africa to set up Dubai final against India

Black Caps beat Proteas by 50 runs in Lahore and book spot in Sunday's UAE showpiece

New Zealand's captain Mitchell Santner, centre, and teammates after their win over South Africa. AFP

New Zealand will take on India in the final of the Champions Trophy after centuries from Rachin Ravindra and Kane Williamson saw them outmuscle South Africa in their Lahore semi-final on Wednesday.

The Black Caps piled on the pressure with a new tournament-record score of 362 for six, Ravindra with 108 and Williamson adding 102, and their bowlers finished the job in clinical fashion to seal a comfortable 50-run win.

Captain Mitchell Santner took a crucial three for 43 with the ball and his side will now depart for Dubai – which is controversially hosting the showpiece due to India’s ongoing political tensions with Pakistan. Awaiting them on Sunday is a rerun of the 2000 final, which they won by four wickets.

Santner opted to bat first on a fine-looking pitch that promised plenty of runs and saw his batters deliver in style.

Lungi Ngidi removed Will Young for 21 in the powerplay, but that breakthrough merely brought together Ravindra and Williamson for a 164-run partnership that built their side a formidable foundation.

Both men maintained a strike-rate of better than a run-a-ball as the Proteas failed to find a way through, Ravindra hitting 13 fours and a six and his experienced partner clearing the ropes twice alongside 10 boundaries.

Heinrich Klaasen dropped Williamson on 56, meaning the second-wicket pair were not parted until the 34th over when Kagiso Rabada finally drew an edge from Ravindra, who has now scored all five of his ODI hundreds at ICC world events.

Williamson carried on the momentum as he brought up his 15th with a cheeky ramp off Wiaan Mulder, who exacted revenge four balls later when Ngidi held on at short leg. Any hopes South Africa had of finishing well disappeared as they leaked 110 from the last 10 overs, Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips both hitting rapid-fire knocks of 49.

Charged with producing the biggest chase in Champions Trophy history, Temba Bavuma’s side stumbled to 312 for nine.

At 125 for one the innings looked to have legs but Santner’s left-arm spin swung things decisively for his team when he dismissed Bavuma (56), Rassie van der Dussen (69) and the in-form Klaasen for just three.

David Miller compiled an unbeaten 100 off the very last ball of the match but, with a regular flow of wickets at the other end, his knock never came close to making the Kiwis sweat.

India beat New Zealand in a group match in the UAE earlier in the tournament, but Santner believes his side can learn lessons from that effort.

"It's a cool feeling to make the final," he said. "We were challenged by a good side. We've had a go against India, look forward to do it again.

"The platform we were able to set with Rachin and Kane, and set up the death phase earlier, was great. The finishers did their job. The key for the bowlers was to keep chipping away with wickets. It was good personally.

"What we speak about as a group is to apply pressure, but still take wickets. It was pleasing to get three pretty good scalps personally. We got four all-rounders who bowl spin, that gives depth.

"Williamson keeps doing it. That partnership was massive, [they] might've been frustrated a touch at times, but they flipped the switch early and got us to 360. Looking back, 320 might not have been enough.

"Being there in Dubai and putting India under pressure gave us confidence. You take in what things work and what doesn't. Not winning the toss might be nice."