SA vs AFG Highlights: Rickelton Ton, Markram’s Fifty Headlines Big South African Win

South Africa comfortably defeated Afghanistan [Source: @ProteasMenCSA/x]

South Africa pulverized Afghanistan with relative ease in match number three of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy at the National Stadium in Karachi. The match also marked the opening Group B fixture of the tournament. 

Here’s the timeline of how SA vs AFG panned out in Karachi:

Ryan Rickelton Leads The South African Way With Maiden ODI Ton

South Africa lost opening batter Tony de Zorzi for just 11 inside the first six overs of the match to Mohammad Nabi. Zorzi’s opening partner and wicketkeeper-batter Ryan Rickelton subsequently defied Afghanistan’s bowling attack by sharing a 129-run partnership for the second wicket with captain Temba Bavuma.

While Bavuma had his innings cut short by Nabi (2-51) for 58 at 157-2, Rickelton went on to carve his maiden ODI century to steer South Africa past the 200-run mark in just 35 overs. Belting seven boundaries and a six in his 106-ball knock, the well-set opener had his innings curtailed at 103 owing to a run out.

Rassie, Markram 50s Take South Africa Past 300

South African middle-order batters Rassie van der Dussen and Aiden Markram listed swift half-centuries during the backend of the innings to catapult their team’s scoring rate. While van der Dussen made 52 from 46 balls before falling to Noor Ahmad (1-65), Markram belted 52 unbeaten runs off just 36 deliveries.

For Afghanistan, Fazalhaq Farooqi and Azmatullah Omarzai picked up the key wickets of David Miller and Marco Jansen respectively during the slog overs, but South Africa still reached a competitive 315-6 at the end of their innings.

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Kagiso Rabada, Mulder Rock Afghanistan Top-Order

South African pacemen Lungi Ngidi and Kagiso Rabada rocked Afghanistan’s top-order with the early wickets of both openers, Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran respectively. Sediqullah Atal at number three fell to a run out from Marco Jansen for just 16, while captain Hashmatullah Shahidi was dismissed for a duck by Wiaan Mulder as Afghanistan crashed to 50-4 in a chase of 316 runs.

Azmatullah Omarzai hung around for a while with well-set number four Rahmat Shah to take Afghanistan near the 100-run mark. Omarzai made 18 runs, but his dismissal to Kagiso Rabada ensured Afghanistan’s troubles worsened at 89-5 in 23 overs.

Rahmat Shah’s 90 Too Little, Too Late For Afghanistan

Amidst Afghanistan’s top-order struggles, number four batter Rahmat Shah composed a fighting half-century and went on to score 90 runs at a near run-a-ball. Shah did the bulk of the scoring while batting with the tail and even elevated Afghanistan from 89-5 to a 208 all out before nicking one towards Ryan Rickelton off Kagiso Rabada at the brink of a possible century.

For South Africa, Rabada (3-36) picked up three wickets in the game, while Lungi Ngidi and Wiaan Mulder chipped in with two wickets each to secure a huge 107-run victory to start off their 2025 ICC Champions Trophy campaign.

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