Champions Trophy 2025: New Zealand Secures Semi-Final Spot with Rachin Ravindra's Century

Image credits: AP Photo

New Zealand has secured their spot in the semi-finals of the Champions Trophy 2025 with a 5-wicket win over Bangladesh, thanks to a superb century from Rachin Ravindra on his debut. Chasing 237, Ravindra took control of the chase, slamming his fourth ODI century and combining with Tom Latham for a 129-run fourth-wicket stand. This win means that hosts Pakistan are knocked out of the tournament, along with Bangladesh, while India also made their way into the final four.

Rachin Ravindra's performance was instrumental in New Zealand's win, as he notched up his fifth half-century in ODI cricket off his 50th ball at the crease. He also completed 1000 runs in ODI cricket in his 26th innings, becoming the fifth fastest for the Black Caps. Tom Latham also played a crucial knock, stitching together a whirlwind partnership for the fourth wicket as New Zealand looked for redemption from their unexpected start. The Black Caps got off to a rocky start, with Will Young and Kane Williamson departing early, but Ravindra and Latham's partnership turned the game around.

Earlier, Bangladesh got off to a strong start, with Tanzid Hasan and Najmul Shanto rotating the strike and punching the good balls to the boundary. However, Michel Bracewell made an impact, sending Tanzid Hasan back to the dugout in the ninth over, and Will O'Rourke gave New Zealand their second breakthrough, dismissing Mehidy Hasan. Bracewell's four wickets restricted Bangladesh to 236/9, with Najmul Hossain Shanto notching up his 10th ODI half-century to keep Bangladesh's scorecard ticking. The Champions Trophy has seen some exciting matches so far, and New Zealand's win has added to the excitement.

The match scores were as follows:

• Bangladesh: 236/9
• New Zealand: 237/5

The player statistics were:

• Rachin Ravindra: 100 runs
• Tom Latham: 50 runs
• Michel Bracewell: 4 wickets

The tournament schedule is as follows:

1. February 25: Pakistan vs India
2. February 27: Pakistan vs Bangladesh

The team rankings are:

• India: 1st
• New Zealand: 2nd
• Pakistan: 3rd

The cricket world is eagerly waiting to see how the rest of the tournament unfolds, with New Zealand and India looking strong contenders for the title.

The Champions Trophy 2025 has been a thrilling tournament so far, with many exciting matches and outstanding performances from players. New Zealand's win over Bangladesh has secured their spot in the semi-finals, and they will be looking to continue their winning streak in the upcoming matches. With the tournament heating up, fans are eagerly waiting to see which teams will make it to the final and who will be crowned the champion.

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