Kane Williamson’s Historic Century Propels New Zealand to Tri-Series Final, Surpassing Virat Kohli’s Record

Kane Williamson Leads New Zealand to Victory Over South Africa
Kane Williamson showcased his remarkable form by hitting a stunning century to help New Zealand secure a six-wicket win over South Africa, advancing them to the tri-series final. The match, held at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, saw Williamson’s unbeaten 133 overshadowing Matthew Breetzke’s record debut score of 150.

With this win, New Zealand has made a strong statement ahead of the upcoming Champions Trophy, which begins on February 19, 2025, in Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates. The triumph was particularly significant as it followed New Zealand’s victory against hosts Pakistan in their previous match, further boosting their momentum.

Williamson Breaks Virat Kohli’s ODI Milestone
During his century, Kane Williamson reached a major milestone by becoming the fastest to 7000 runs in One Day Internationals (ODIs). He reached the 7000-run mark in just 159 innings, surpassing Virat Kohli, who took 161 innings. However, Hashim Amla remains the fastest to this milestone, achieving it in 150 innings.

Strong Partnership Between Williamson and Conway
Williamson’s century was supported by a solid 187-run partnership with Devon Conway, who narrowly missed his own century, falling short by just three runs. Together, they helped New Zealand recover after Will Young was dismissed early for 19 runs.

New Zealand’s skipper, Mitchell Santner, praised the partnership, stating, “You need partnerships to chase targets and it was an outstanding knock from Conway and that partnership between him and Kane that led us to the win.”

Breetzke Sets Record, But South Africa Falls Short
Despite Breetzke’s record-breaking debut score, South Africa could not capitalize on it. The 150 runs by Breetzke marked the highest score by a batter on their ODI debut, surpassing Desmond Haynes’ previous record of 148 runs set in 1978. South Africa’s Temba Bavuma acknowledged Breetzke’s remarkable feat, calling it one of the “positives” from the match.

Looking Ahead to the Champions Trophy
With New Zealand’s solid performance and Williamson’s historic achievement, they have positioned themselves as strong contenders for the Champions Trophy. The final of the tri-series will decide their opponent, as Pakistan will face South Africa in the upcoming match.

Key Stats and Performances

• Kane Williamson’s century was his first in nearly five years.
• Devon Conway contributed significantly with a knock of 97 runs.
• South Africa had to debut four new players due to injuries and other commitments.