South Africa kicked off their Champions Trophy campaign in dominant fashion, securing a comprehensive 107-run win. Chasing a challenging target of 316, Afghanistan struggled to build momentum, with Rahmat Shah being the lone warrior. His valiant 90 was the only real resistance, as the next-best contribution was just 18. Eventually, Afghanistan folded for 208 in 43.3 overs. Kagiso Rabada spearheaded the bowling attack with three wickets, while Lungi Ngidi and Wiaan Mulder picked up two each.
South Africa’s Batting Firepower on Display
Winning the toss, South Africa elected to bat first against Afghanistan. Despite Heinrich Klaasen’s absence, their batting lineup remained formidable, with Ryan Rickelton and Tony de Zorzi opening the innings. The middle order boasted Temba Bavuma, Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram, and David Miller, while Wiaan Mulder and Marco Jansen provided depth in the lower order.
Klaasen’s absence was significant, given his recent red-hot form in ODIs. In his last four matches against Pakistan, he showcased his explosive batting, scoring 86 off 97, 97 off 74, 81 off 43, and 87 off 56. His ability to take on bowlers made him a key player for South Africa.
Rickelton Seizes His Opportunity
Ryan Rickelton has proven himself across formats, from a double-century in Tests to a blistering 89 off 39 in T20s. His adaptability was once again on display as he notched up a crucial century in the Champions Trophy, further solidifying his place in the ODI setup.
Rickelton’s inclusion came due to Heinrich Klaasen’s elbow injury, but he made the most of the opportunity. His composed 103 off 106 balls in his first ICC tournament was a strong statement. With Klaasen set to return, South Africa faces a selection headache, but Rickelton’s form makes him tough to leave out.
South Africa National Cricket Team vs Afghanistan National Cricket Team Match Scorecard – 3rd Match, Group B
📍 Karachi | 🗓 February 21, 2025 | 🌙 D/N Match
🏆 South Africa won by 107 runs
| Player of the Match | 🏅 Ryan Rickelton (SA) | 103 (106) & 2 catches |
South Africa Innings (50 overs max)
🏏 Total: 315/6 (RR: 6.30)
| Batsman | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR | Dismissal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ryan Rickelton † | 103 | 106 | 7 | 1 | 97.16 | Run out (Rashid/Gurbaz) |
| Tony de Zorzi | 11 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 100.00 | c Omarzai b Nabi |
| Temba Bavuma (c) | 58 | 76 | 5 | 0 | 76.31 | c Atal b Nabi |
| Rassie van der Dussen | 52 | 46 | 3 | 2 | 113.04 | c Shahidi b Noor Ahmad |
| Aiden Markram | 52* | 36 | 6 | 1 | 144.44 | Not out |
| David Miller | 14 | 18 | 1 | 0 | 77.77 | c Rahmat Shah b Farooqi |
| Marco Jansen | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | b Omarzai |
| Wiaan Mulder | 12* | 6 | 1 | 1 | 200.00 | Not out |
| Extras | 13 (w 13) | |||||
| Total | 315/6 (50 Ov) |
🛑 Did not bat: Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi
📉 Fall of Wickets:
1-28 (de Zorzi, 5.1) | 2-157 (Bavuma, 28.5) | 3-201 (Rickelton, 35.3) | 4-248 (van der Dussen, 42.4) | 5-298 (Miller, 47.6) | 6-299 (Jansen, 48.2)
🎯 Afghanistan Bowling
| Bowler | O | M | R | W | ECON | 0s | 4s | 6s | WD | NB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fazalhaq Farooqi | 8 | 0 | 59 | 1 | 7.37 | 25 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Azmatullah Omarzai | 6 | 0 | 39 | 1 | 6.50 | 16 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mohammad Nabi | 10 | 0 | 51 | 2 | 5.10 | 23 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Rashid Khan | 10 | 0 | 59 | 0 | 5.90 | 28 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Gulbadin Naib | 7 | 0 | 42 | 0 | 6.00 | 16 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Noor Ahmad | 9 | 0 | 65 | 1 | 7.22 | 22 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 0 |
Afghanistan Innings (Target: 316)
🏏 Total: 208 all out (43.3 Ov, RR: 4.78)
| Batsman | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR | Dismissal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rahmanullah Gurbaz † | 10 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 71.42 | c Maharaj b Ngidi |
| Ibrahim Zadran | 17 | 29 | 1 | 1 | 58.62 | b Rabada |
| Sediqullah Atal | 16 | 32 | 2 | 0 | 50.00 | Run out (Jansen) |
| Rahmat Shah | 90 | 92 | 9 | 1 | 97.82 | c †Rickelton b Rabada |
| Hashmatullah Shahidi (c) | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | c Bavuma b Mulder |
| Azmatullah Omarzai | 18 | 27 | 3 | 0 | 66.66 | c †Rickelton b Rabada |
| Mohammad Nabi | 8 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 47.05 | c Rabada b Jansen |
| Gulbadin Naib | 13 | 19 | 2 | 0 | 68.42 | c Bavuma b Ngidi |
| Rashid Khan | 18 | 13 | 3 | 1 | 138.46 | c Markram b Maharaj |
| Noor Ahmad | 9 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 60.00 | b Mulder |
| Fazalhaq Farooqi | 0* | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | Not out |
| Extras | 9 (b 2, nb 1, w 6) | |||||
| Total | 208 all out (43.3 Ov) |
📉 Fall of Wickets:
1-16 (Gurbaz, 3.2) | 2-38 (Zadran, 9.4) | 3-50 (Atal, 13.6) | 4-50 (Shahidi, 14.4) | 5-89 (Omarzai, 22.6) |
6-120 (Nabi, 28.6) | 7-142 (Naib, 34.2) | 8-169 (Rashid, 37.3) | 9-208 (Noor Ahmad, 42.6) | 10-208 (Rahmat Shah, 43.3)
🎯 South Africa Bowling
| Bowler | O | M | R | W | ECON | 0s | 4s | 6s | WD | NB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marco Jansen | 8 | 1 | 32 | 1 | 4.00 | 30 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Lungi Ngidi | 8 | 0 | 56 | 2 | 7.00 | 25 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Kagiso Rabada | 8.3 | 1 | 36 | 3 | 4.23 | 36 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Wiaan Mulder | 9 | 0 | 36 | 2 | 4.00 | 32 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Keshav Maharaj | 10 | 0 | 46 | 1 | 4.60 | 33 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
📊 Match Insights:
🔹 Top Scorer: Rahmat Shah (90) | Best Bowler: Kagiso Rabada (3/36)
🔹 South Africa Powerplay Performance: 46/1 (10 ov) | Afghanistan Powerplay: 38/2 (10 ov) | Key Partnership: Rickelton & Bavuma (100 runs in 110 balls)
🔥 South Africa wins by 107 runs! 🎉
Conclusion
South Africa started their Champions Trophy campaign with a dominant performance. They posted a strong total of 315/6, led by Ryan Rickelton’s century. His 103 off 106 balls stabilized the innings after early pressure. Temba Bavuma and Rassie van der Dussen provided crucial contributions in the middle order. Aiden Markram’s aggressive 52* off 36 balls gave South Africa a strong finish.
Afghanistan’s bowling attack struggled to contain South Africa’s deep batting lineup. Mohammad Nabi was the most effective, taking 2/51 in his 10 overs. Noor Ahmad and Fazalhaq Farooqi picked up one wicket each but proved expensive. Rashid Khan, Afghanistan’s key bowler, went wicketless in his 10-over spell.
Chasing 316, Afghanistan lost early wickets and struggled for partnerships. Rahmat Shah fought hard with a valiant 90 off 92 balls. However, no other batter managed to cross 20 runs. Afghanistan’s innings collapsed at 208 in 43.3 overs. Kagiso Rabada led South Africa’s bowling with 3/36, while Lungi Ngidi and Wiaan Mulder picked up two wickets each.
South Africa’s all-round performance secured a convincing 107-run win. Rickelton’s century and Rabada’s bowling made the difference. Afghanistan needs better batting depth to compete in future matches. South Africa will take confidence from this win moving forward.