India will face New Zealand in Champions Trophy final after Rachin Ravindra and Kane Williamson put South Africa to the sword
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New Zealand will meet India in Sunday’s Champions Trophy final in Dubai after centuries from Rachin Ravindra and Kane Williamson set up a 50-run hammering of South Africa in Lahore.

The pair put on 164 for the second wicket as the New Zealanders smashed 362 for six, before half-centuries from Temba Bavuma and Rassie van der Dussen took the South African chase to 125 for one. 

But both fell to the nagging left-arm spin of Mitchell Santner, and after that only David Miller – with a superb 67-ball hundred – made any headway against New Zealand’s quartet of slow bowlers.

The final will be India’s fifth game in a row at Dubai International Stadium following their refusal to play in Pakistan, but their coach Gautam Gambhir angrily denied his side had enjoyed an ‘undue advantage’.

He added: ‘We haven’t practised here even for one day. We’re practising at the ICC Academy. 

‘And the conditions here and there are 180 degrees different. Some people are just perpetual cribbers, man. They’ve got to grow up.’

Rachin Ravindra (left) and Kane Williamson steered New Zealand to victory on Wednesday

Rachin Ravindra (left) and Kane Williamson steered New Zealand to victory on Wednesday

Temba Bavuma's South Africa side fell to a 50-run defeat by New Zealand in the semi-finals

Temba Bavuma’s South Africa side fell to a 50-run defeat by New Zealand in the semi-finals

Virat Kohli and India have only played in Dubai despite the tournament being held in Pakistan

Virat Kohli and India have only played in Dubai despite the tournament being held in Pakistan

Having already flown once during the tournament from Pakistan to Dubai for their group game against India, New Zealand must now make the trip again. 

Other than India, no other team in the tournament has played there more than once.

The result means New Zealand will have the chance to win their first global white-ball tournament since winning the ICC Knockout – the forerunner to the Champions Trophy – in Kenya in October 2000.

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