Champions Trophy 2025, SA vs NZ pitch report, Lahore Stadium's key stats

The pitch at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore is typically favored by batsmen, suggesting that a high-scoring match may be on the horizon. The team that wins the toss might choose to bat first.

In the second semifinal of ICC Champions Trophy 2025, New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner won the toss and elected to bat first against South Africa at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Wednesday (March 5). 

 Check South Africa vs New Zealand semifinal 2025 live score, full scorecard here

 

As anticipation builds, there has been much speculation about what the pitch at Lahore will offer. With both teams eager to reach the summit clash, they’ll be hoping for clear skies and a pitch that offers an exciting contest. 

 

New Zealand enters this high-stakes encounter having finished second in Group A, while South Africa topped Group B. The winner of this fierce contest will face either Australia or India in the grand finale, where only one team will rise to claim the ICC Champions Trophy glory. 

 

 

Gaddafi Stadium Pitch Report:

 

The Gaddafi Stadium surface is set to deliver another run-fest, with dimensions favoring batters. The straight boundary measures 75 metres, while the square boundaries stand at 70 metres to the left and 67 metres to the right, ensuring plenty of scoring opportunities.

 

According to Bazid Khan and Dale Steyn, the pitch remains hard and flat, with a fresh covering of grass that will allow the ball to skid on nicely, making stroke play easier. Batters are expected to dominate on this batting-friendly wicket, with boundary-hitting opportunities aplenty.

 

However, the presence of three of the world’s tallest bowlers could introduce an extra element of bounce. With something in it for the pacers who can hit the deck hard, bowlers will need to be precise with their lengths, as any margin for error is likely to be severely punished by the batters.

 

Overall, expect another high-scoring contest, with batters looking to take full advantage of the conditions while bowlers strive for accuracy to extract whatever assistance they can from the surface. 

Lahore's Gadaffi Stadium key stats 

Record	Player/Team	Performance	Opponent	Year
Highest team score	Pakistan	375/3	Zimbabwe	2015
Lowest team score	Pakistan	75 all out	Sri Lanka	2009
Highest individual score	Ijaz Ahmed	139* (84)	India	1997
Best bowling figures	Lance Klusner	6/49	Sri Lanka	—
Most runs at Gaddafi Stadium (ODIs)	Shoaib Malik	1030 runs in 22 innings	—	—
Most wickets at Gaddafi Stadium (ODIs)	Wasim Akram	23 wickets in 17 matches	—	—

 

Highest ODI totals at Gadaffi Stadium, Lahore
Team	Score	Overs	RR	Inns	Opposition	Ground	Result	Match Date
Pakistan	375/3	50	7.5	1	v Zimbabwe	Lahore	won	26/05/15
Sri Lanka	357/9	50	7.14	1	v Bangladesh	Lahore	won	25/06/08
Australia	356/5	47.3		1	v England	Lahore	won	22/02/25
England	351/8	50		1	v Australia	Lahore	lost	22/02/25
Pakistan	349/4	49	7.12	2	v Australia	Lahore	won	31/03/22
Australia	348/8	50	6.96	1	v Pakistan	Lahore	lost	31/03/22
Zimbabwe	334/5	50	6.68	2	v Pakistan	Lahore	lost	26/05/15
Bangladesh	334/5	50	6.68	1	v Afghanistan	Lahore	won	03/09/23
New Zealand	330/6	50	6.6	1	v Pakistan	Lahore	won	08/02/25
England	327/4	50	6.54	1	v Pakistan	Lahore	won	10/12/05
Pakistan	322/5	50	6.44	1	v Bangladesh	Lahore	won	08/04/08
Australia	316/4	48.5	6.47	2	v Pakistan	Lahore	won	10/11/98
Pakistan	315/8	50	6.3	1	v Australia	Lahore	lost	10/11/98
Australia	313/7	50	6.26	1	v Pakistan	Lahore	won	29/03/22
South Africa	311/9	50	6.22	1	v Sri Lanka	Lahore	won	06/11/97
Sri Lanka	309/5	50	6.18	1	v Pakistan	Lahore	won	24/01/09
New Zealand	308/4	48.4	6.32	2	v South Africa	Lahore	won	10/02/25
Pakistan	308/8	50	6.16	1	v Bangladesh	Lahore	won	13/04/08
South Africa	304/6	50	6.08	1	v New Zealand	Lahore	lost	10/02/25
Bangladesh	300/8	50	6	1	v U.A.E.	Lahore	won	24/06/08
South Africa	297/5	48.1	6.16	2	v West Indies	Lahore	won	03/11/97
Pakistan	297/4	48.5	6.08	2	v Sri Lanka	Lahore	won	14/10/04
Pakistan	296/9	50	5.92	1	v Zimbabwe	Lahore	n/r	31/05/15
India	294/5	45	6.53	2	v Pakistan	Lahore	won	21/03/04
South Africa	294/5	50	5.88	1	v Pakistan	Lahore	won	18/10/07
West Indies	293/8	50	5.86	1	v South Africa	Lahore	lost	03/11/97
Pakistan	293/9	50	5.86	1	v India	Lahore	lost	21/03/04
India	293/7	50	5.86	1	v Pakistan	Lahore	won	24/03/04
Sri Lanka	293/6	50	5.86	1	v Pakistan	Lahore	lost	14/10/04
India	292/5	47.4	6.12	2	v Pakistan	Lahore	won	13/02/06
Pakistan	292/7	48	6.08	2	v New Zealand	Lahore	won	29/11/03
New Zealand	291/5	50	5.82	1	v Pakistan	Lahore	lost	29/11/03
Sri Lanka	291/8	50	5.82	1	v Afghanistan	Lahore	won	05/09/23
Sri Lanka	290/9	50	5.8	1	v U.A.E.	Lahore	won	26/06/08
Afghanistan	289	37.4	7.67	2	v Sri Lanka	Lahore	lost	05/09/23
Pakistan	288/8	50	5.76	1	v India	Lahore	lost	13/02/06
Sri Lanka	287/7	50	5.74	1	v Pakistan	Lahore	won	16/10/04
Pakistan	285	46.5	6.08	2	v England	Lahore	lost	10/12/05
Bangladesh	285/7	50	5.7	2	v Pakistan	Lahore	lost	13/04/08
Sri Lanka	281/2	40	7.02	2	v Pakistan	Lahore	won	05/11/97
Pakistan	281/5	50	5.62	1	v New Zealand	Lahore	won	06/03/96
Pakistan	281/6	50	5.62	1	v New Zealand	Lahore	won	01/12/03
Pakistan	280	49.4	5.63	1	v Sri Lanka	Lahore	lost	05/11/97
Pakistan	278/5	50	5.56	1	v New Zealand	Lahore	won	27/04/02
Pakistan	277/6	50	5.54	1	v South Africa	Lahore	won	03/10/03
South Africa	271	48	5.64	1	v Pakistan	Lahore	won	02/11/97