Tag: South Africa

LAHORE: Cricket South Africa (CSA) has provided a major update on the fitness of star batter Aiden Markram ahead of their crucial ICC Champions Trophy 2025 semi-final clash against New Zealand at the Gaddafi Stadium here on Wednesday.

Markram, who was leading South Africa in the absence of regular skipper Temba Bavuma, experienced hamstring discomfort during the team’s final group-stage match against England on Saturday.

The middle-order batter walked off the field during England’s innings, handing over the leadership duties to wicketkeeper-batter Heinrich Klaasen.

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The development was first confirmed on the broadcast during the 31st over of England’s innings, raising concerns over Markram’s availability for the knockout stage.

As a precautionary measure, CSA called up spin-bowling all-rounder George Linde as a backup option.

However, the latest update brings relief for the Proteas camp as Aiden Markram has passed his fitness test and is available for selection in the high-stakes semi-final against the Black Caps.

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It’s worth noting that South Africa kicked off their ICC Champions Trophy 2025 campaign with a commanding 107-run victory over Afghanistan, rolling them out for 208 in pursuit of 316.

Their second fixture against Australia in Rawalpindi was completely washed out due to rain, but they sealed their semi-final berth in style with a seven-wicket thumping of England, chasing down 180 with ease.

With Markram fit and South Africa in top form, the Proteas will be aiming to make their first Champions Trophy final since 1998.

South Africa Squad for ICC Champions Trophy 2025

Temba Bavuma (c), Tony de Zorzi, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tristan Stubbs, Rassie van der Dussen.

Travelling Reserve: George Linde.

READ: Champions Trophy: Gautam Gambhir shuts down claims of India’s ‘advantage’ in Dubai

KARACHI: South Africa secured a semi-final spot with a convincing seven-wicket victory over England in the 11th match of the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 at the National Bank Stadium on Saturday.

The Proteas successfully chased a modest target of 180 runs, losing three wickets in 29.3 overs. This victory also allowed South Africa to top Group B, which included Afghanistan, Australia, and England.

South Africa’s new opening pair, Tristan Stubbs and Ryan Rickelton, fell inside the power play with a score of 47 courtesy of Jofra Archer bowling.

Stubbs, who was playing his first match in the eight-team tournament, was castled on a duck while Rickelton fell on the score of 27 after hitting five fours.

After early inroads from England, Heinrich Klaasen joined Rassie van der Dussen and forged a 127-run stand. Klaasen departed when his team needed just six runs. His  64 off 56 deliveries featured 11 fours.

On the other hand, Van der Dussen remained firm and carried his team to a comfortable win with an unbeaten 72 off 87 deliveries. His well-crafted innings included half a dozen fours and three sixes.

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For England, Archer was the only silver lining, who bagged two wickets, while Adil Rashid picked up one wicket.

Marco Jansen, was awarded Player of the Match for his brilliant bowling and fielding.

The Proteas only needed to ensure they didn’t lose the current match by 207 runs to move forward in the eight-team tournament.

A strong bowling display kept Afghanistan from overtaking them in net run rate. As a result, South Africa and Australia secured the two qualifying spots for the Final Four from Group B.

Earlier, a combined bowling effort helped South Africa bundle England to a meagre 179 in the 11th match of the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 here at National Bank Stadium on Saturday.

England captain Jos Buttler, in his last match as captain, opted to bat first, however, the decision backfired as Phil Salt (8) fell prey to Marco Jansen in the first over.

Jansen displayed his brilliance with the new ball, removing Jamie Smith (0) and Ben Duckett (24) soon afterward to leave England reeling at 37-3.

Joe Root and Harry Brook (19) then joined hands to construct a 62-run stand for the fourth wicket before Keshav Maharaj broke the partnership.

Root, who top-scored with 37 from 44 balls, fell in the next over, leaving his team in a struggling position with the scoreboard reading 103-5.

South Africa bowlers did not allow England to make a comeback as they took two more wickets in quick succession before Buttler and Jofra Archer forged a crucial 42-run stand for the eighth wicket.

Archer scored a gutsy 25 off 31 with the help of four boundaries, while Buttler managed a scratchy 21 off 43 without any boundary.

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However, both batters fell in successive overs before Wiaan Mulder dismissed Adil Rashid (2) to wrap England’s innings at 179.

Mulder and Jansen took three wickets each for South Africa, while Maharaj bagged two. Lungi Ngidi and Kagiso Rabada managed one wicket each.

Playing XIs

England: Phil Salt, Ben Duckett, Jamie Smith (wk), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler (c), Liam Livingstone, Jamie Overton, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Saqib Mahmood

South Africa: Aiden Markram (c), Ryan Rickelton, Rassie van der Dussen, Tristan Stubbs, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), David Miller, Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi

READ: Former cricketer slams decision to ‘rest’ senior players after Champions Trophy debacle

KARACHI: England have won the toss and opted to bat first against South Africa in the 11th match of the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 here at National Bank Stadium on Saturday.

Playing XIs

England: Phil Salt, Ben Duckett, Jamie Smith (wk), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler (c), Liam Livingstone, Jamie Overton, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Saqib Mahmood

South Africa: Aiden Markram (c), Ryan Rickelton, Rassie van der Dussen, Tristan Stubbs, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), David Miller, Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi

Catch every Champions Trophy update here!

The 2025 edition marks the return of the ICC Champions Trophy after an eight-year break, with the last tournament being held in 2017, where Pakistan defeated their arch-rivals India in the final.

The eight-team tournament will feature 15 matches over 19 days, taking place in Pakistan and Dubai.

The teams are divided into two groups for the initial stage. Each team will play three group-stage matches, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the semi-finals.

Group A consists of Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and New Zealand, while Group B includes Afghanistan, England, Australia, and South Africa.

READ: Nasser Hussain names Jos Buttler’s replacement as England’s captaincy

South Africa top-order batter Rassie van der Dussen has revealed his plans for retirement after the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. 

The right-handed batter, who has been an integral part of the South Africa white-ball squad since 2019, has said that he is open to the possibility of Champions Trophy 2025 becoming his last ICC tournament.

“It’s definitely a possibility that it’s my last ICC tournament. I’m not saying that with any preconceived ideas that I’ll call time on it, or management will call time on my career. It’s just the reality,” van der Dussen said in a recent interview.

His comment came as South Africa prepare for their last group stage match against England at the ongoing Champions Trophy 2025.

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Rassie van der Dussen believed that the arrival of a new crop of top and middle-order batters might make it challenging for him to retain his spot in the South Africa squad.

“It’s such a great thing that there’s so many young players coming through, guys really playing well,” he remarked.

“A guy like Tristan Stubbs, he’s sitting on the sidelines, or Tony de Zorzi. And even if you go into the domestic structure, Matthew Breetzke came in and made that 150.”

He further highlighted the bench strength of South Africa and the competition for a place in the team.

“I’m not blind to the possibility that if I don’t perform that someone won’t be there to take my place.”

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“I certainly don’t expect any preferential treatment because I think in a healthy environment, guys push each other organically and that pushes everyone to be better,” Rassie van der Dussen concluded.

It’s Pertinent to mention that middle order batters Tristan Stubbs, Tony de Zorzi and Ryan Rickelton are part of South Africa’s Champions Trophy 2025 squad.

READ: PSL 10 to commence from 11 April as PCB reveals schedule

KARACHI: South Africa top-order batter Rassie van der Dussen made a bold statement about India playing all of their ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 matches at one venue in Dubai.

A few months before the eight-team tournament was set to begin, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) decided not to send its national men’s team to Pakistan, referencing orders from their government.

The BCCI’s decision to decline sparked a strong response from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), resulting in a lengthy standoff between the two cricketing organizations.

The dispute eventually culminated in the PCB proposing a ‘Fusion Formula’, which states that both teams will play their matches at a neutral venue when India or Pakistan host an event over the next three years.

As a result, India will play all their tournament matches at Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

A few days earlier, former England cricketer and commentator Naseer Hussain also raised his voice about Team India’s advantage of playing at one venue.

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Now, Van der Dussen has also echoed similar views ahead of their clash against England.

“You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to know that the ability to train and play in one place, coupled with the absence of any inter-city or inter-country travel, gives India an edge that they will be under pressure to fully exploit,” he said.

“It’s definitely an advantage. I saw that Pakistan was commenting about it, but it’s definitely an advantage.”

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The Proteas batter further highlighted the benefit of playing in the same stadium and on the same pitches.

“If you can stay in one place, stay in one hotel, practise in the same facilities, play in the same stadium, on the same pitches every time, it’s definitely an advantage,” he observed.

However, the 36-year-old batter emphasized that the Indian team will face pressure due to their one venue advantage.

“In a sense, it puts more pressure on them because whoever is going to play them in the semi or potentially the final is going to go there and the conditions are going to be foreign but they [India] are going to be used to it.”

“The pressure would be on them to get it right because they have all that knowledge,” he concluded.

READ: Champions Trophy 2025: Rain threatens high-stakes Australia-Afghanistan clash

The much-anticipated ICC Champions Trophy 2025 clash between Australia and South Africa in Rawalpindi has been hit by rain, delaying the toss that was originally scheduled for 1:30 PM today.

With showers expected to continue in intervals throughout the day, the weather is likely to play a role in the contest.

As per the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), Rawalpindi is in for a cloudy and cool day, with intermittent afternoon showers keeping the conditions tricky.

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The forecast suggests a 64% chance of rain, with approximately 0.10 inches of precipitation expected over a two-hour period.

While thunderstorms are not on the radar, complete cloud cover (100%) is expected. For now, the ground staff have the pitch well covered as they wait for a window of clear skies.

Australia and South Africa teams come into this game riding high on momentum, having secured wins in their opening matches of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

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Australia started their campaign with a stunning chase against England at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium. England had set a record-breaking Champions Trophy total of 351/8, powered by Ben Duckett’s incredible 165 off 143 balls.

However, the Aussies responded in a dominant fashion, hunting down the target in 47.3 overs with Josh Inglis smashing a blistering 120 off 86.

South Africa, on the other hand, made a strong statement with a 107-run win over Afghanistan. The Proteas racked up 315/6, thanks to a well-constructed century from Ryan Rickelton.

Captain Temba Bavuma, Rassie van der Dussen, and Aiden Markram chipped in with crucial fifties, setting up a dominant total before bowling out Afghanistan for 208.

READ: Shoaib Akhtar calls Babar Azam ‘fraud’ after Champions Trophy elimination

READ: Here’s when Imam-ul-Haq will join Pakistan’s Champions Trophy squad

KARACHI: South Africa captain Temba Bavuma has made a bold statement ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy opener against Afghanistan, scheduled in Karachi on Friday.

After arriving early in Pakistan for the tri-nation series, South Africa had game time to integrate into the conditions in the series mentioned above.

Addressing the media in a pre-match presser, Bavuma cleared that his team is well-focused and does not carry any past baggage.

“There’s no real negativity or baggage among the guys; we’re coming into this tournament with a lot of positivity and confidence in our ability to go far, said the skipper.

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With the tournament format too competitive, Bavuma highlighted the importance of giving every game equal importance.

“Our mindset is to make sure we pitch up and play our best game of cricket. Hopefully, we’re playing five games and not three in this tournament. Most importantly, we need to win the moments that matter,” he remarked.

Spin-heavy Afghanistan, which will start its inaugural campaign in the ICC Champions Trophy, is expected to give Proteas a tough time.

Temba Bavuma admitted to Afghanistan’s competitiveness, recalling their victory over South Africa in Sharjah last year.

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“They’re a highly competitive team with a lot of experience and international pedigree. They won’t be short of confidence coming into this game, said Bavuma.

The right-hander batter stated that he had not looked at the pitch but emphasized that Karachi pitches favour the batters.

However, he further emphasized the need for his bowling unit to remain disciplined and precise to counter the high-scoring trend.

“Our challenge as a bowling unit is to be one of the more disciplined and precise bowling units,” Bavuma said.

South Africa will look to start their campaign on a strong note against Afghanistan after a dismal performance in the tri-nation series.

READ: Champions Trophy: Gill’s century, Shami’s five-fer help India thump Bangladesh

KARACHI: South Africa beat Pakistan Shaheens by three wickets in the third warm-up match of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 courtesy of an all-round batting performance.

The Proteas chased the mammoth 323 runs, losing seven wickets with six balls to spare.

The warm-up match marked the return of South African premier players, who were unavailable for the recently concluded tr-nation series.

Ryan Rickelton (57), Tony de Zorzi (55), Rassie van der Dussen (62), and Aiden Markram hit form with brisk half-centuries before Wiaan Mulder provided the final touches with his quick-fire cameo of 42 from 30 deliveries, laced with three fours and three sixes.

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Niaz Khan and Mehran Mumtaz were stand-out bowlers for Shaheens, bagging two wickets each.

Earlier, the Shaheen posted 322-8 in their allocated 50 overs with the help of Muhammad Hurraira’s majestic century.

Huraira (110) and Imam-ul-Haq (98) posted a 163-run stand for the second wicket.

Huraira, whose innings included 12 fours and one six, was bowled by Marco Jansen, while van der Dussen ran out Imam on the cusp of a century.

Middle-order batter Maaz Sadaqat (28)  and Saad Khan (30) formed a crucial 48-run partnership for the fifth wicket, which helped Shaheens reach a big total.

Wiaan Mulder was the pick of the bowlers, taking 3 for 27 in his five overs. South Africa front-line bowler Kagiso Rabada went wicket-less in his eight overs, while Jansen chipped in with two wickets.

For the unversed, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has named the three Shaheens squads that will feature in the Champions Trophy 2025 warm-up matches in the build-up to the main event, which will take place from 19 February to 9 March.

Schedule of ICC Champions Trophy warm-up matches featuring Pakistan Shaheens:

14 February – vs Afghanistan, Gaddafi Stadium (1400-2130)

17 February – vs South Africa, National Stadium Karachi (1400-2130)

17 February – vs Bangladesh, ICC Cricket Academy (1400-2130)

READ: Ahmed Shehzad questions Babar Azam’s promotion as an opener

It’s worth noting that the match between Pakistan and South Africa is a virtual semi-final of the tri-nation ODI series, with the winner securing a coveted spot in the tri-nation series final on February 14, where they will face New Zealand in a battle for the trophy.

New Zealand, on the back of star batter Kane Williamson’s century, defeated South Africa by six wickets to book a spot in the tri-nation ODI series final on 10 February.