Afghanistan vs South Africa – ICC Champions Trophy 2025

3rd Match In ICC Champions Trophy And 1st Match Form Group B.

Group A Teams India, Pakistan, Bangladesh And New Zealand.

Group B Teams England, Australia, Afghanistan and South Africa

Rickelton Stars In 107-run Win For Proteas

South Africa Dominates Afghanistan with a 107-Run Victory in Karachi

South Africa kicked off their ICC Champions Trophy 2025 campaign with a commanding 107-run win over Afghanistan in Karachi. The Proteas set a challenging total of 315/6, thanks to a brilliant century from Ryan Rickelton (103 off 106 balls) and a steady half-century by Temba Bavuma (56 off 65 balls). Aiden Markram (52)* provided a late flourish, helping South Africa cross the 300-run mark.

Afghanistan’s bowlers struggled to contain the South African batters, but Mohammad Nabi stood out, picking up two crucial wickets. Despite their efforts, Afghanistan’s bowling attack lacked the penetration needed to restrict South Africa’s batting lineup.

Afghanistan’s Chase Falters

Chasing 316, Afghanistan faced an early collapse as Lungi Ngidi and Kagiso Rabada dismantled the top order. Openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran fell cheaply, putting Afghanistan under pressure. Rahmat Shah (90 off 101 balls) was the lone warrior, offering some resistance, but wickets kept tumbling at the other end. Eventually, Afghanistan was bowled out for 208, handing South Africa a convincing win.

Key Highlights from the Match:

✅ Ryan Rickelton’s maiden ODI century (103 off 106)
✅ Temba Bavuma’s steady 56 and *Aiden Markram’s quickfire 52 **
✅ Lungi Ngidi and Kagiso Rabada’s powerplay strikes
✅ Rahmat Shah’s fighting 90 in a losing cause