Temba Bavuma regrets missed opportunity as South Africa falls short

South Africa captain Temba Bavuma reflected on his team’s semi-final defeat to New Zealand in the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy, acknowledging that the Blackcaps posted a total beyond their expectations. Bavuma believed that if they had restricted New Zealand to around 350 runs, the Proteas would have backed themselves to chase it down.

South Africa’s heartbreak in the semi-finals continued as New Zealand secured a commanding 50-run victory to book their place in the final. The Proteas had an opportunity to rewrite history but struggled to contain a relentless Kiwi batting lineup that amassed a record-breaking 362/6—the highest total in the tournament’s history.

Bavuma admitted that New Zealand’s aggressive approach put them under pressure from the start and that his team needed bigger contributions from key players to stay in the chase.

New Zealand’s dominant batting display proves too much

"I do think it was above par. Probably, if it was 350, we would have backed ourselves to chase the score. We had one or two partnerships today, but we needed me or Rassie to go on and emulate what two of their batters did. They really put us under pressure from the word go, the way they were able to pierce the off-side at the start and the way they played in the middle overs," Bavuma said during the post-match presentation.

New Zealand’s batting charge was led by captain Kane Williamson (102) and young star Rachin Ravindra (108), who put together a match-defining 164-run partnership. Their efforts paved the way for Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips to unleash their power-hitting, propelling the Kiwis to an imposing total.

"Kudos to them, credit to their batters, Rachin and Williamson and even the batters who came in, Mitchell and Phillips. We were 125/1, and Rassie and I were still batting," Bavuma added.

South Africa had a promising start in their chase, with Bavuma and Rassie van der Dussen putting on a 105-run stand. The match was shaping up to be a thriller, but New Zealand skipper Mitchell Santner shifted the momentum by dismissing Bavuma, triggering a collapse.

Looking back at his dismissal, Bavuma acknowledged that his wicket, along with Rassie’s, left the Proteas with too much to do in the final stages.

"Like I said in the beginning, like I mentioned that we were 125/1, we had to be more decisive, not give an opportunity for the opposition to come back and be ruthless. We needed to take care of the key moments in the game," he said.

"Unfortunately, we weren't able to set that foundation for them. A bit of a soft dismissal for me and a better dismissal for Rassie, and we left too much for them in the end," he added.

Despite another semi-final heartbreak, South Africa’s journey in the tournament showcased moments of brilliance, but Bavuma’s remarks highlighted the fine margins that define success at the highest level.

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