CHAMPIONS TROPHY 2025
Karachi, Feb 21: Opening batter Ryan Rickelton struck a flawless maiden century before a clinical display by the bowlers as South Africa began their Champions Trophy campaign with a comprehensive 107-run win over Afghanistan here on Friday.
Rickleton smashed 103 off 106 balls with the help of seven fours and one six while captain Temba Bavuma (58 off 76 balls), Rassie van der Dussen (52 off 46 balls) and Aiden Markram (52 not out off 36 balls) scored half centuries as South Africa posted 315 for 6 after opting to bat.Rickleton’s ton was the tournament’s fifth in three day’s time and the third at the National Stadium here.
Chasing a big target of 316, Afghanistan couldn’t repeat their series-winning performance of late last year against South Africa when they won the series 2-1 in Sharjah.They were bowled out for 208 in 43.3 overs with South Africa pacers Kagiso Rabada (3/36), Lungi Ngidi (2/56), Wiaan Mulder (2/36) and Marco Jansen (1/32) sharing eight wickets among them as they never allowed Afghanistan to get going in the first 15 overs.
The Afghans slipped to 50 for 4 and then to 89 for 5 in the 23rd over.Rahmat Shah played a lone hand with a 92-ball 90 while Rashid Khan (18) and Azmatullah Omarzai (18) were the second highest scorers for Afghanistan who were never in the game after conceding a big total.Ngidi set the pace when he got rid of danger man Rehmanullah Gurbaz in the fourth over for 10 when the batsman couldn’t play down a short ball which got big on him and Maharaj took a fine catch at short leg.After five overs, Rabada, bowling with fire on a batting track, clean-bowled Ibrahim Zadran with a beauty.To make matters worse, Afghanistan lost Sediqullah Atal (16) to a run out in the 14th over while trying a suicidal single and the next over, captain Hashmatullah Shahidi (0) pulled Mulder straight to his opposite number Bavuma at wide mid-on to derail the innings.Rabada and Jansen went through Azmatullah Omarzai (18) and Muhammad Nabi (8) to make it 120 for 6 and more or less settle the matter even though Rehmat Shah stood out with his fighting 90 from 92 balls before he was the last man out, edging Rabada to the keeper.
Even though Tristan Stubbs was dropped and Heinrich Klassen was ruled out with an elbow tissue injury, South Africa had enough firepower to subdue the Afghans whose deadly three pronged spin attack was nullified on a flat pitch.
There was a period when South Africa struggled to get boundaries with seven overs going without a four at one stage in their innings, overall their batting performance was clinical.South Africa, after winning the inaugural Champions Trophy event in 1998 (held in knockout format), have never been able to win an ICC title held in proper league group format.
South Africa came close to breaking their jinx when they lost in the final of the World T20 Cup last year to India while they have already qualified for the final of the ICC World Test Championship to be held in June in England. (PTI)