KARACHI: A disciplined bowling display by South Africa saw England bowled out for a paltry 179 in their final ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 group-stage match at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi on Saturday.
England, already eliminated from the tournament following consecutive defeats to Australia and Afghanistan, struggled once again with the bat.
Captain Jos Buttler, playing his final match as England’s white-ball skipper, opted to bat first after winning the toss, but his side failed to capitalise on the decision.
England’s innings began on a disastrous note as Marco Jansen struck in the very first over, dismissing Phil Salt for just eight runs.
The left-arm pacer continued to wreak havoc, removing Jamie Smith for a duck and Ben Duckett for 24, reducing England to 37-3 inside the Powerplay.
Joe Root and Harry Brook attempted to stabilise the innings with a 62-run partnership for the fourth wicket, but just as England looked to be regaining control, Keshav Maharaj broke the stand by dismissing Brook for 19.
Root, England’s top scorer with 37 off 44 balls, followed soon after as England found themselves in deep trouble at 103-5.
England’s middle order has been a cause for concern throughout the tournament, and their frailties were once again exposed.
The batters struggled to adapt to the conditions, failing to build partnerships or play a composed innings. South Africa’s bowlers capitalised on England’s lack of discipline, striking at regular intervals to deny them any momentum.
Jos Buttler, in his last outing as England’s limited-overs captain, attempted to anchor the innings but was dismissed after a laboured 43-ball stay at the crease.
Despite a brief 42-run partnership for the eighth wicket between Buttler and Jofra Archer, England’s innings never gained momentum.
Six of England’s batters reached double figures, yet none managed to convert their starts into a substantial score.
Their aggressive shot selection and lack of application resulted in another failure to bat out the full 50 overs, as they were dismissed in 38.2 overs.
For South Africa, Jansen led the attack with early breakthroughs, while Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, and Lungi Ngidi maintained the pressure throughout.
The Proteas’ fielding was sharp, ensuring that England never got the chance to build a recovery.
The Proteas made two changes ahead of the match, with captain Temba Bavuma and Tony de Zorzi missing out due to illness.
Aiden Markram stepped in as stand-in captain, with Tristan Stubbs and Heinrich Klaasen included in the playing XI.
This encounter marked the fifth ICC Champions Trophy meeting between the two sides, with both teams previously winning two matches each. Overall, South Africa now holds the edge in their ODI rivalry, having won 34 out of 70 encounters, while England has secured 30 victories.
England Playing XI
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 Playing XI
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
Dismissals of Brook and Root
Brook and Root’s partnership is broken. England are once again struggling to build a formidable partnership. Jamie Overton and Jos Buttler are at the crease.
Root and Brook partnership; England are currently batting at 87 for 3 in 15.
Brook and Root seem to provide stability to their batting line by going for a potential partnership.
From three done, Joe Root and Harry Brook, England’s most technically proficient batters, have set about a riposte that has taken the score to a respectable 62 for 3.
South Africa’s dominance
Marco Jansen takes three early wickets: Phil Salt, Jamie Smith, and Ben Duckett.
England batters are struggling to face South African pacers. England’s white ball struggles continue.
It was an eventful first over and a neat microcosm of England’s long-standing problems in the 50-over format. Unfiltered attacking verve led to predictable failure.
South Africa is set to challenge a beleaguered England in an electrifying showdown of the Champions Trophy Group B final match, on a sunny day at the National Stadium Karachi today (Saturday).
The English squad, still reeling from a gut-wrenching 8-run loss to Afghanistan, has all but surrendered their dreams of reaching the semifinals. Once a dominant force in white-ball cricket and the champions of the 2019 World Cup, England’s ODI form has taken a nosedive, currently languishing in seventh place in the ICC rankings. Their batting approach has been a double-edged sword, consistently surpassing 300 runs yet failing to sustain innings. Only Ben Duckett and the ever-reliable Joe Root, who recently dazzled with a century, have showcased the necessary composure. With Jos Buttler struggling and the middle order underperforming, the bowlers have borne an unbearable burden, unable to defend hefty totals like 355 against Australia or 325 against Afghanistan.
Riding high
South Africa is riding high, determined to secure their place in the knockout stages. However, their match against Australia was frustratingly abandoned without a toss, a continuation of their complicated love affair with rain. Yet, this South African squad has evolved into a formidable white-ball powerhouse. From their impressive 2023 ODI World Cup campaign to a thrilling run in the T20 World Cup 2024, they’ve established themselves on the global stage. The irony remains: despite their talent, the elusive trophy continues to taunt them.
With explosive talent like Rickelton at the helm, South Africa’s batting lineup is a force to be reckoned with. The return of Temba Bavuma, alongside the dynamic Markram-Miller duo, adds strength to their middle order, while Heinrich Klaasen’s inclusion promises to shake things up even more. On the bowling front, despite the absence of Anrich Nortje due to injury, the pace trio of Rabada, Ngidi, and Jansen is primed for action. With spin specialists like Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi rounding out their attack, South Africa is well-equipped for the slow and low pitches they are encountering.
Having spent nearly three weeks in Pakistan since the tri-series, the Proteas now face England after an unusual week-long hiatus. Whether this break has rejuvenated or disrupted their momentum remains to be seen. Historically, South Africa holds a 3-1 advantage in recent matchups, including a commanding 229-run victory in the 2023 World Cup.
Pitch and conditions
Early indications suggest that batting first is advantageous, as evidenced by the previous matches in Karachi. With pitch conditions likely favouring spin as the game unfolds, the pressure rests firmly on South Africa’s shoulders to perform. The City of Lights is set to host a riveting clash, showcasing two teams in vastly different tournament scenarios.
The key news, considering recent events, is that Karachi is expected to have clear weather, a venue known for high scores. In the tournament’s two prior matches there, the first batting team scored over 300 and won decisively. South Africa, one of those teams, feels they could have increased their 315 for 6 against Afghanistan, drawing on their recent tri-series experience. England, having participated in two high-scoring matches but falling short, may be questioning their scoring adequacy. In their final attempt, they aim to demonstrate that their batting strategy is not only entertaining but also effective.
England Squad: 1 Phil Salt, 2 Ben Duckett, 3 Jamie Smith (wk), 4 Joe Root, 5 Harry Brook, 6 Jos Buttler (capt), 7 Liam Livingstone, 8 Jamie Overton, 9 Jofra Archer, 10 Adil Rashid, 11 Saqib Mahmood.
South Africa Squad: 1 Temba Bavuma (capt), 2 Ryan Rickelton, 3 Rassie van der Dussen, 4 Aiden Markram, 5 Heinrich Klaasen (wk), 6 David Miller, 7 Wiaan Mulder, 8 Marco Jansen, 9 Keshav Maharaj, 10 Kagiso Rabada, 11 Lungi Ngidi.
