South Africa won the 11th match of the ICC Champions Trophy on 1st March 2025 at the National Stadium in Karachi in a dominating seven-wicket victory against England, thereby securing their semi-final berth.
England’s Innings:
Opting to bat first, England couldn’t gain momentum. The opening over set an ominous tone when Philip Salt was dismissed for 8 runs from 6 balls. Wickets kept falling intermittently:
Jamie Smith did not make a score, receiving only three deliveries.
Ben Duckett got run out on 24 off 21 balls, with four boundaries, and was caught and bowled by Marco Jansen.
Joe Root showed some tenacity with 37 off 44 balls, with four fours and one six, but got bowled by Wiaan Mulder.
Middle and lower order could not prop up the innings:
- Harry Brook got run out on 19 off 29 balls.
- Captain Jos Buttler scored 21 runs from 43 balls.
Jofra Archer contributed a burst of 25 runs from 31 balls, four boundaries.
England innings were finished at 179 runs in 38.2 overs. South African bowlers had a disciplined display:
- The most successful bowler was Marco Jansen with 7 overs, no maidens, 39 runs, and 3 wickets.
- Wiaan Mulder was extremely economical, taking 3 wickets for 25 runs in 7.2 overs.
- Keshav Maharaj also impressed with 2 wickets for 35 runs in his 10-over spell.
South Africa’s Chase:
Chasing a modest 180, South Africa’s innings got off to an early setback with Tristan Stubbs getting out for a duck. But Ryan Rickelton and Rassie van der Dussen steadied the ship:
Rickelton scored a 27-run innings from 25 balls, with five fours, before getting bowled by Jofra Archer.
Van der Dussen put together an unbeaten 72 runs from 87 balls, including six fours and three sixes, to steady the ship.
- A turning-point partnership was also established between van der Dussen and Heinrich Klaasen:
- Klaasen played aggressive shots, scoring 64 runs from 56 balls with eleven boundaries.
- Their 127-run third-wicket stand more or less sealed the match for South Africa.
South Africa dominated the target comfortably, scoring 181 for 3 in 29.1 overs. England’s bowling attack did not come to the party:
- Jofra Archer took 2 wickets but conceded 55 runs in his 9-over spell.
- Adil Rashid took 1 wicket for 37 runs in 7 overs.
Key Takeaways:
- South Africa’s bowlers capitalized on the conditions, with Marco Jansen and Wiaan Mulder spearheading the attack.
- England’s vulnerabilities at the top order were laid bare to leave them with a below-par total.
- van der Dussen and Klaasen’s stand was a reflection of the depth and creativity of South Africa’s batting.
- This victory not only reaffirmed South Africa’s supremacy in the group stages but also highlighted England’s woes, their third consecutive loss in the tournament.
