Dubai: South Africa’s long-standing reputation as ‘chokers’ in ICC tournaments was once again reinforced as they suffered a 50-run defeat against New Zealand in the semi-final of the Champions Trophy 2025. Despite a valiant century from David Miller, the Proteas failed to chase down the massive target of 363 runs, extending their poor record in knockout matches.
Miller’s Century Goes in Vain
David Miller played a sensational innings, scoring a quickfire century, but South Africa still fell short of the daunting target set by the Kiwis. This defeat marks South Africa’s ninth loss in an ICC semi-final, further proving their struggle under pressure in crucial knockout games. In their 11 semi-final appearances in ICC ODI tournaments, South Africa has managed to win only once—against Sri Lanka in the 1998 Champions Trophy in Dhaka.
South Africa’s Dismal Semi-Final Record
While South Africa’s consistent qualification for semi-finals highlights their cricketing strength, their inability to cross the final hurdle remains a major concern. The infamous 1999 World Cup semi-final against Australia in Edgbaston, which ended in a tie due to a dramatic mix-up between Lance Klusener and Allan Donald, is still considered one of the biggest collapses under pressure in cricket history.
With this latest defeat, South Africa now holds the unwanted record of being the team with the most semi-final losses in ICC ODI tournaments (9). New Zealand, the second on the list, has lost 8 out of 13 semi-finals, but still boasts a better conversion rate than the Proteas.
This loss once again raises questions about South Africa’s mental resilience in high-pressure matches. As the cricketing world debates their inability to deliver in crunch situations, the ‘chokers’ tag continues to haunt them in ICC tournaments.
