There is a real ambition in the side: Vettori

A relieved man after his side made it to the title clash of the ICC Champions Trophy, New Zealand skipper Daniel Vettori says it was the burning ambition of winning a big tournament that helped the Kiwis cross the semi-final hurdle.

New Zealand broke their big tournament semi-final jinx, beating Pakistan by five wickets in the second last four match of the ICC Champions Trophy last night.

The Kiwis will now lock horns with traditional rivals and defending champions Australia in the final tomorrow.

"There is a real ambition in the side. There's belief and desire to win tournament instead of just ending up as semi-finalists," Vettori said after the victory.

"It's good that we came to this semi-finals on the back of two good wins. We carried the momentum forward, it wasn't as if we scrapped to the semi-finals," he added.

The Kiwi captain himself played a crucial role in his side's win against Pakistan with 41 runs and 3-43 spell, but he preferred to shower praise on Grant Elliot (unbeaten 75 off 103 balls) with whom he shared a match-winning 104-run stand for the fifth wicket.