South Africa win toss, opt to Bat first
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South Africa won the toss and chose to bat first against Afghanistan in Group B opener of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi.
Playing XIs
Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (C), Azmatullah Omarzai, Gulbadin Naib, Mohammad Prophet, Rashid Khan, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Noor Ahmad.
South Africa: Ryan Rickelton (WK), Tony de Zorzi, Temba Bavuma (C), Rassie Van Der Dussen, Aiden Malder, David Miller, Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Mahaj, Lungi, Lungi, Lungi, Lungi, Lungi, Lungi, Mahaj, Lungi, Lungi, Mahaj, Lungi, Lungi, Mahaj, Mahaj
Head-to-Head
Afghanistan and South Africa have met five times in ODIs, with the Proteas holding a 3-2 advantage. This will be their first encounter in an ICC Champions Trophy tournament.
- Matches Played: 5
- Afghanistan Wins: 2
- South Africa Wins: 3
Eager to start strong, Afghanistan will face South Africa, who are coming off a disappointing loss in a tri-series against Pakistan and New Zealand.
Under the leadership of Temba Bavuma, the Proteas are determined to shake off their long-standing struggles in ICC tournaments and make a powerful start in the Champions Trophy.
In terms of conditions, Karachi experienced cooler temperatures overnight, with Thursday night being noticeably chillier compared to previous days, as reported by . There is little chance of rain, making the weather generally favorable for the game.
As for the pitch, the National Stadium is traditionally known to favor batters, particularly during the early stages of the game.
However, as the ball ages, the pitch tends to slow down, making stroke play more difficult. In recent matches, such as the one between Pakistan and New Zealand, the sluggish nature of the pitch in the second innings forced batters to adjust, with spinners playing an increasingly significant role.
Although dew can sometimes assist batters, the opening match of the tournament saw minimal dew, further slowing down the pitch and making it harder to score runs.
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