New Zealand enters final with stunning win, setting new world record

South Africa's Matthew Breetzke has broken Caribbean legend Desmond Haynes' 46-year-old record and set a new world record. The young opener played an innings of 150 runs in his debut ODI.

However, South Africa could not make his world record-setting day a victory. New Zealand won their first match of the tri-series against South Africa by six wickets. With this victory, the Kiwis reached the final of the series. Earlier, they won against Pakistan by 78 runs. New Zealand reached the final earning four points from two matches. Their opponent in the final will be the winner of the South Africa-Pakistan match.

South Africa, batting first at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Monday (February 10), posted 304 runs for the loss of six wickets in 50 overs. Their scoreboard grew with Breetzke's record-breaking batting. The young opener hit 11 fours and five sixes in his 150-run innings off 148 balls. No one in history has scored so many runs on ODI debut.

The previous record for the highest score on debut in ODI history was held by Desmond Haynes. The former West Indies cricketer played an innings of 148 runs against Australia in 1978.

Wiaan Mulder scored the second highest score for South Africa with 64 runs. Besides, Jason Smith scored 41 and Temba Bavuma scored 20 runs. New Zealand's Matt Henry and Will O'Rourke took two wickets each.

New Zealand won with the extraordinary batting of Kane Williamson and Devon Conway. Williamson scored a century. Conway failed to reach the magic figure of three-digit. With the bat of these two, New Zealand made the target of over 300 runs trivial and won. They reached the victory with eight balls in hand.

Will Young and Conway added 50 runs to the opening partnership. When Young returned to 19 runs, the partnership was broken. The 187-run partnership of Conway and Williamson for the second wicket basically knocked South Africa out of the match. When Conway was out for 97 runs, the victory was somehow assured for the Kiwis. Williamson secured the team's victory by putting on an unbroken partnership of 57 runs with Glenn Phillips. He remained unbeaten on 133 runs playing 113 balls. Phillips remained unbeaten on 28 runs. Senuran Muthusamy took 2 wickets for 50 runs.

Centurion Kane Williamson was named Man of the Match.