Karachi, February 21, 2025 – South Africa made a strong start to their ICC Champions Trophy 2025 campaign, securing a commanding 107-run win over Afghanistan at the National Stadium in Karachi. Ryan Rickelton’s brilliant maiden century anchored the South African innings, while their pace bowlers ensured a comfortable victory.
Rickelton’s Century Powers South Africa to a Strong Total
South Africa won the toss and opted to bat first, posting an impressive 315/6 in their allotted 50 overs. Rickelton was the standout performer, making a flawless 103 off 106 balls, including seven fours and a six. He was well supported by captain Temba Bavuma, who contributed 58 off 76 balls, and Rassie van der Dussen, who added 52 off 46 balls. Aiden Markram finished unbeaten on 52 from 36 balls, helping South Africa finish their innings on a high note.
Despite a brief lull, where South Africa went without a boundary for seven overs, they accelerated in the final 10 overs, adding valuable runs to set Afghanistan a challenging target.
Afghanistan Struggles in the Chase
Afghanistan’s chase of 316 never gained momentum, as they lost early wickets, slumping to 50/4. Their batting lineup failed to recover, and they were eventually bowled out for 208 in just 43.3 overs.
The South African pacers were exceptional, with Kagiso Rabada taking 3/36, Lungi Ngidi claiming 2/56, Wiaan Mulder picking up 2/36, and Marco Jansen contributing with 1/32. Afghanistan’s middle order was unable to cope with the pace attack, despite Rahmat Shah’s valiant knock of 90 off 92 balls. Rashid Khan and Azmatullah Omarzai added 18 runs each, but their efforts weren’t enough to keep Afghanistan in the game.
Key Moments of the Match
- Early breakthroughs by Ngidi and Rabada left Afghanistan struggling.
- A run-out of Sediqullah Atal in the 14th over further compounded Afghanistan’s problems.
- Rickelton’s unfortunate run-out in the 36th over ended what could have been an even bigger innings for South Africa.
- Markram’s rapid 52, the fastest fifty of this edition of the Champions Trophy, provided a strong finishing touch to South Africa’s total.
South Africa’s Pursuit of ICC Glory
Despite their storied cricketing history, South Africa has yet to win an ICC tournament in a league-based format. They clinched the 1998 Champions Trophy, which had a knockout structure. The World T20 Cup final against India last year ended in a loss for them. With their strong performance in the opening match, the Proteas will be aiming to break their title drought in this year’s tournament.
