Afghanistan will take on South Africa in their opening game of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy in a Group B encounter.
Group B comprises these two along with England and Australia, so a winning start will be vital for both these sides as this is a tough group to get through.
ICC Champions Trophy 2025 | Match 3: Afghanistan vs South Africa | 14:30 IST, February 21
Afghanistan have established themselves as one of the most dangerous sides in world cricket, especially in ICC Tournaments with upsets against the likes of Pakistan, England, Sri Lanka, South Africa, and Australia. Their top-order batting and world-class spin attack spearheaded by the brilliant Rashid Khan has been crucial to their rise in the sport in recent years.
South Africa, on the other hand, have come close but never managed to get past the finish line, their most recent heartbreak arriving at the 2024 T20 World Cup, where they lost to India in the final from a winning position. However, the Proteas have a strong balanced squad, featuring a long batting order and lethal pace bowlers.
When we compare their recent head-to-head matches, Afghanistan won the most recent ODI series against South Africa 2-1 in September last year at Sharjah. However, South Africa come into this encounter having prepared for the tournament by playing in the tri-Series in Pakistan, while Afghanistan last played an ODI in December against Zimbabwe.
The lack of match preparation could be a problem for the Afghans, but what they lack in preparation, they make up for in intensity and passion. Experienced batters like Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, and Gulbadin Naib hold the key for them, with their bowling attack of Rashid Khan, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Noor Ahmad, and Nangeyalia Kharote capable of troubling any batting order.
Even though RSA lost both their encounters of the tri-series, they remain a strong side with world-class batters in Temba Bavuma, Aiden Markram, David Miller, and Heinrich Klaasen. They will be missing lead pacer Anrich Nortje, but they still have the experienced Kagiso Rabada along with Lungi Ndidi, Keshav Maharaj, and Tabraiz Shamsi, all of whom can chip in with vital wickets.
The pitches in Karachi have flat surfaces, which mostly support the batters and can produce high-scoring encounters, though the slower bowlers can also find some purchase as the day goes on.
This is a difficult game to call, but given to Afghanistan’s lack of match practice, this could be a game where South Africa post a decent total if they get to bat first and take the first points on offer.
Fantasy XI: Temba Bavuma (c), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Gulbadin Naib, Heinrich Klassen, Tristan Stubbs (wk), Rashid Khan, Marco Jansen, Kagiso Rabada, Noor Ahmad
Winners Prediction: South Africa
Venue: Karachi National Stadium, Pakistan
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