South Africa and England will face each other in the 11th ODI of the ongoing Champions Trophy 2025 on 1st March in Karachi
Match Preview:
The Champions Trophy is inching closer to end as four of three semi-finalists are confirmed and with the recent game between Australia and Afghanistan being washed out, South Africa and Afghanistan still have a chance to cement their place in the playoffs.
While South Africa will play to qualify and England will play for glory only. It will be Jos Butler’s last game as a captain so if anything his team will try to make it special for their World Cup winning captain.
But what would it mean for Africa? They still can qualify even if they lose given their NRR should remain higher than the Afghanistan team.
The disparity between both sides was made evident at the most recent World Cup, where South Africa defeated England by a commanding 229 runs in Mumbai. Although it was slated during the first SA20, South Africa had already guaranteed their spot in the competition by defeating England 2-1 in a pivotal ODI series.
Both teams found that series to be a turning point: South Africa started a rebuilding process that has mostly produced positive outcomes, while England has struggled since winning ODI series against Bangladesh, New Zealand, and Ireland in 2023.
They have lost their last four bilateral matches and have performed poorly in major tournaments.
Before they bow out, England will be determined to leave their mark. They present a threat to South Africa with a bowling assault that includes Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, and Liam Livingstone. But in preparation for a probable semi-final participation, the Proteas will try to respond by strengthening their batting approach.
Probable Playing XI:
England (probable): 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 (probable): 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
Pitch and weather report:
Another high-scoring game is anticipated as Karachi is predicted to have bright skies. South Africa, who scored 315 for 6 against Afghanistan, is one of the teams who have won handily at the venue after batting first and posting over 300. They are confident because of their recent experience in such circumstances.
After losing two high-scoring matches, England will try to demonstrate that their batting strategy is not just entertaining but also successful.
Head-to-head record:
There have been 70 meetings between South Africa and England, and South Africa has a slim advantage in their head-to-head record. England has won 30 games, compared to 34 triumphs for South Africa. With South Africa losing 30 games and England losing 34, both sides have lost as many games as their opponents. In addition, one match resulted in a tie between the two teams, and five matches finished in a draw.
Prediction:
If rain doesn’t, South Africa are favourites to win and book their spot in the semi-final
Where to watch:
India: Jio Hotstar,
Pakistan: Myco, Tapmad, and Tamasha app
UAE and MENA: STARZPLAY
USA and Canada: Streaming on Willow by Cricbuzz app (Hindi coverage available)
Caribbean: ESPN Play Caribbean app
Australia: PrimeVideo
New Zealand: SkyGo app.
South Africa and sub-Saharan territories: SuperSport and SuperSport App
Bangladesh: Nagorik TV
Afghanistan: ATN
Sri Lanka: Maharaja TV
