AFG vs SA Preview: Dark horse Afghanistan up against the formidable Proteas
Afghanistan and South Africa will square off against each other in match 3 of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 at the National Stadium in Karachi on Friday, February 21.
This game is special as Afghanistan makes its debut in the tournament. Afghanistan’s performances in the 2023 ODI World Cup and 2024 T20 World Cup have shown they are no longer underdogs. With four bilateral series wins since the last ODI World Cup, including a historic 2-1 win over South Africa in the UAE, Hashmatullah Shahidi=led side enters this contest riding high on confidence. Their only recent setback came in Sri Lanka, where they struggled against a strong batting line-up.
South Africa, on the other hand, has been dealing with injury concerns and suffered defeats in the recent tri-series involving Pakistan and New Zealand. However, their batting unit remains a major threat. The two teams have played against each other on five occasions in ODIs, with the head-to-head record of 3-2 in Proteas’ favor.
Pitch Report
The National Stadium in Karachi is expected to assist the batters, with early movement for pacers before settling down. The flat nature of the wicket helps in playing the shots freely. While spinners might find some grip as the match progresses, but significant turn is unlikely. The dry surface and cracks in the good-length area could come into play later. Run chases here have seen mixed results, making 300 an ideal first-innings target.
Squads
Afghanistan: Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Ikram Alikhil, Gulbadin Naib, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Nangyal Kharoti, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Farid Malik, Naveed Zadran. Reserves: Darwish Rasooli, Bilal Sami
South Africa: Temba Bavuma (c), Tony de Zorzi, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tristan Stubbs, Rassie van der Dussen, Corbin Bosch
