lexa777 NZ Vs RSA, ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Semi-Final 2: Kane Williamson Hits 15th ODI Hundred In Must-Win Match
New Zealand's Kane Williamson, left, celebrates with batting partner Daryl Mitchell after scoring a century during the ICC Champions Trophy semifinal cricket match between New Zealand and South Africa at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. AP Photo/K.M Chaudary New Zealand's Kane Williamson, left, celebrates with batting partner Daryl Mitchell after scoring a century during the ICC Champions Trophy semifinal cricket match between New Zealand and South Africa at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. AP Photo/K.M Chaudary Kane Williamson again performed well under the pressure and scored his 15th ODI century in the semi-final match against South Africa in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 on Wednesday, 5 March 2025. (Match Blog | More Cricket News)
The 34-year-old former Kiwi skipper took just 91 balls to reach the feat. He hit 10 fours and a couple of sixes in his 102-run knock.
He completed his century with a boundary off the first delivery of the 40th over. Wiaan Mulder dismissed him in the same over when Lungi Ngidi took a fine catch at short fine-leg.
Williams have found themselves as consistent backmarkers in recent years,66br.com but under team principal James Vowles, they look to be making strides towards becoming more competitive, helped by Sainz's arrival.
Williamson also did well in New Zealand's third group-stage match against India in Dubai where he made a gritty 81 off 120 balls. But this inning was something different from his other innings.
He completed his half-century in 61 deliveries but took just 40 balls to score the next fifty runs. He also added 164 runs for the second wicket with opener batter Rachin Ravindra. This 164-run stand between the two is also the biggest for New Zealand in the Champions Trophy.
This was Williamson's fourth ODI ton against South Africa, which is only bettered by Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli and David Warner (five each). This was his fourth hundred in ODI tournaments. Only Rachin Ravindra has more tons (five) in ICC tournaments for New Zealand than him.
New Zealand have scored five tons in this edition of the Champions Trophy, which is the most individual hundreds for a team in an edition.
dyd777Williamson is part of the Fab Four and he was expected to do well after his counterparts - Steve Smith and Virat Kohli played well-paced innings in the first semi-final match on Tuesday in Dubai.
South Africa captain Temba Bavuma had earlier said that Williamson has been a 'thorn' for South Africa in knockouts and he will come up with a plan to counter him. But the veteran batter responded well with a classic century in a must-win game.lexa777