New Zealand secured their place in the final of the ICC Champions Trophy on Sunday, achieving a 50-run victory over South Africa, which sets the stage for a rematch against India at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. The Kiwis were propelled by centuries from Rachin Ravindra and Kane Williamson, while South Africa's pursuit never gained momentum.

Dinesh Karthik, who has recently been in South Africa for the SA20 and is currently engaged in media duties for the Champions Trophy, expressed his disappointment regarding South Africa's performance, as they entered the tournament as one of the favorites to reach the final.

"I want to make it clear: New Zealand completely dominated South Africa; it was as straightforward as that," Karthik remarked. "They were never in contention. I anticipated that South Africa would come close and apply pressure. That is what one expects from South Africa."

New Zealand established a solid foundation through the partnership between Ravindra and Williamson, and a strong finish from Glenn Phillips pushed their total beyond 360, increasing the pressure on the South African side.

In reply, South Africa lost the in-form Ryan Rickelton early on, and the century partnership between Temba Bavuma and Rassie van der Dussen was broken, leading to a collapse as wickets fell at regular intervals.

"This is a disappointing capitulation. They were out of the contest far too early. You cannot arrive at a semifinal merely content to be there. You must perform like a champion team," Karthik stated.

‘It is next to impossible…’

David Miller delivered an impressive century at the conclusion of the innings, achieving this feat in just 67 balls. However, he received little assistance from his teammates, as players like Heinrich Klaasen and Aiden Markram struggled to establish themselves in the middle order. Karthik identified the mini-collapse during the middle overs as a critical factor, leading to the Proteas' score of 189-5.

"You can always rely on scoring 90 in the last ten overs, or even 85. However, reaching 140 is not feasible," the former Indian wicketkeeper stated. "Even in T20 matches, this is rarely accomplished. With fewer wickets remaining and a slightly older ball, it becomes nearly impossible."

New Zealand emerged as comfortable victors in the match, with their total remaining largely unchallenged throughout the chase. They are set to face a strong Indian team, which has already secured a victory against them in Dubai earlier this week.

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