Williamson's heroics lead New Zealand to victory over South Africa despite Breetzke's record

New Zealand stormed into the final of the tri-nation series after securing a commanding six-wicket victory over South Africa in the second match of the tournament at Karachi on Monday. 

The Kiwis successfully chased down a formidable target of 305 runs, reaching the mark in the 49th over with four wickets down, thanks to a stellar unbeaten century by skipper Kane Williamson.

Williamson anchored the chase with a magnificent 133*, steering his side to victory with precision and composure. 

His inning was well-supported by Devon Conway, who played a crucial knock of 97 runs, narrowly missing out on a century. 

Earlier in the day, South Africa’s debutant Mathew Breetzke announced his arrival on the international stage in style, smashing a remarkable 150-run innings. His innings, laced with five sixes and 11 boundaries, not only propelled South Africa past the 300-run mark but also saw him etch his name into the record books. 

Breetzke’s score of 150 is now the highest individual score by a batsman on ODI debut, surpassing previous record-holders Desmond Haynes (148), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (127), Colin Ingram (124), and Mark Chapman (124).

New Zealand’s bowling unit delivered a disciplined performance, with Will O'Rourke and Matt Henry picking up two wickets each, while Michael Bracewell chipped in with one. 

Opting to field first after winning the toss, the Black Caps executed their chase with clinical efficiency, building on their winning momentum after having defeated Pakistan in the series opener on Saturday.

 Meanwhile, New Zealand made a key change to their squad, bringing in Devon Conway to replace the injured Rachin Ravindra.