"Bavuma was a little too slow in my opinion" - Aakash Chopra on South Africa's loss in NZ vs SA 2025 Champions Trophy semi-final

Former India player Aakash Chopra has noted that South Africa were never in the game during their run chase in the 2025 Champions Trophy semi-final against New Zealand despite David Miller's blazing century. He opined that their captain Temba Bavuma's 'slow' knock put them behind the eight ball.

New Zealand set South Africa a mammoth 363-run target in the second semi-final of the 2025 Champions Trophy in Lahore on Wednesday, March 5. Bavuma then consumed 71 deliveries for his 56 runs as the Proteas managed only 312/9 in the chase to lose the game by 50 runs despite Miller smashing an unbeaten 67-ball 100.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra,' the former India opener reckoned that Miller's belligerent century was never going to take South Africa to a win, with Bavuma's knock potentially making the target a bridge too far.

"Once more than 360 runs are posted, the job becomes difficult. There were great expectations from Heinrich Klaasen. David Miller, of course, scored a century in the end, played well and reached his hundred off the last ball, but that was in a losing cause," he said (3:45).

"He was hitting sixes, but the gap between the two teams had become so huge that they were never going to win. They were never in the match. Rassie van der Dussen was there at the start and Temba Bavuma was with him for some time. Bavuma was a little too slow in my opinion," Chopra added.

Chopra noted that New Zealand weren't worried even when Miller was smashing their bowlers all around the park.

"When Rassie got out, two or three wickets fell quickly. The game had already gone by the time David Miller came and took charge. There was no contest. He was hitting, but only South Africa were feeling the pain because New Zealand didn't even sweat as they couldn't have won with those many sixes," he observed.

David Miller smashed 10 fours and four sixes during his unbeaten 100 in the 2025 Champions Trophy semi-final against New Zealand. Temba Bavuma scored his runs at a strike rate of 78.87, leaving South Africa with a required run rate of 8.60 when he got dismissed.

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"He is just going from strength to strength" - Aakash Chopra lauds Rachin Ravindra's century in NZ vs SA 2025 Champions Trophy semi-final

Rachin Ravindra scored 108 runs off 101 deliveries in the 2025 Champions Trophy semi-final. [P/C: Getty]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra lauded Rachin Ravindra for scoring his second century (108) in the 2025 Champions Trophy in the semi-final clash against South Africa.

"Rachin Ravindra has taken to ICC cricket like fish to water. He was the most promising youngster in the 2023 World Cup. He is just going from strength to strength. He scored an effortless century. He played extremely well. The way Rachin Ravindra is playing, he could be a danger bell," he said.

The cricketer-turned-commentator also praised Kane Williamson (102) for striking a century ahead of the final against India.

"The first two matches were slightly cold for the consistent Kane Williamson. He hadn't scored too many runs. However, then came India and he scored runs. He has scored a century in the final and he is also now absolutely ready for the final," Chopra observed.

Rachin Ravindra and Kane Williamson stitched together a 164-run second-wicket partnership. While Ravindra struck 13 fours and a six in his 108-run knock, Williamson hit 10 fours and two maximums in his 94-ball 102.