Afghanistan and South Africa are set to face off in the third match of the Champions Trophy 2025 at the National Stadium in Karachi. South African skipper Temba Bavuma won the toss and opted to bat first against Hashmatullah Shahidi’s Afghanistan. The big news from the South African camp is that they will play without Heinrich Klaasen and Tristan Stubbs, two players who have been in prolific form in the recent past with the bat. Klaasen has been left out as a precautionary measure due to a left elbow soft tissue injury.
The predicted playing XIs for the match are: South Africa - Ryan Rickelton (wk), Tony de Zorzi, Temba Bavuma (c), Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi; Afghanistan - Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Azmatullah Omarzai, Gulbadin Naib, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi. Rashid Khan has replaced Mohammad Nabi in the Afghan lineup, and his 10 overs will be crucial in this game. The Afghan spinners, including Rashid Khan and Noor Ahmad, will look to make an impact on the South African batting lineup.
The match is expected to be a closely contested one, with both teams having a strong lineup. South Africa's powerful batting lineup makes them strong contenders for the title, despite inconsistent recent performances. Afghanistan, fresh off impressive showings in the 2023 ODI World Cup and 2024 T20 World Cup, aims to pull off upsets and make their mark in the tournament. The Champions Trophy 2025 match between Afghanistan and South Africa will be aired LIVE on the Star Sports and Sports18 channels in India. The match will begin at 2:30 PM IST, with the toss taking place at 2 PM IST.
Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi has dismissed political calls to boycott Afghanistan's cricket games, saying that as a sportsman, their job is to play cricket and they don't care what's going on outside of the cricket. The team is focused on winning the tournament, and Shahidi hopes that there will be sizeable support for his team at the newly upgraded National Bank Stadium in Karachi. Afghanistan has a good record in recent major tournaments, having beaten England and Pakistan at the 50-over World Cup in India in 2023, and both Australia and New Zealand to reach the 20-over World Cup semi-finals last year.
The team's recent form and experience make them a formidable opponent, and they will look to use their spin attack to their advantage. The conditions in Karachi are expected to suit the Afghan team, and they will look to start the tournament with a win. The match will be a thrilling encounter, with both teams looking to make a statement in the tournament. The cricket fans around the world will be eagerly waiting to see the outcome of this match, and it is expected to be a closely contested one.
