Karachi

Afghanistan will make their Champion Trophy debut against South Africa at the renovated National Stadium in Karachi on Wednesday. Led by Hashmatullah Shahidi, Afghanistan has developed a reputation for being the surprise package in global tournaments, having impressed in the 2023 ODI World Cup and the 2024 T20 World Cup.

Meanwhile, South Africa, captained by Temba Bavuma, boasts a powerful and dynamic batting lineup, making them strong contenders for the title despite recent inconsistencies in form.

Afghanistan and South Africa have faced each other five times in ODIs, with the Proteas leading the head-to-head 3-2. However, Afghanistan made history last year by securing their maiden ODI series win over South Africa, clinching a 2-1 victory in Sharjah.

The upcoming match marks Afghanistan’s debut in the Champions Trophy, while South Africa will be looking to overcome their history of near-misses in ICC events. Their most recent heartbreak came in the 2024 T20 World Cup final, where they narrowly lost to India. Notably, Afghanistan reached the semifinals in that tournament before falling to the Proteas. In the 2017 Champions Trophy, South Africa were eliminated in the group stage after rain denied them a semifinal spot.

South Africa’s batting is bolstered by skipper Temba Bavuma, who averages 43.32 in ODIs, along with Heinrich Klaasen and Rassie van der Dussen, both of whom boast averages above 44. Their bowling attack features Kagiso Rabada, with 162 ODI wickets at 27.56, and Marco Jansen, who took 17 scalps in the 2023 World Cup.

Afghanistan, on the other hand, has several in-form players, including Azmatullah Omarzai, who averaged 50-plus with the bat and under 21 with the ball in 2024, earning him the ODI Player of the Year award.

Rashid Khan dominated with 15 wickets at an astonishing average of 12.46, while Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Mohammad Nabi contributed significantly with both bat and ball. With a blend of experience and rising stars, both teams will be eager to make a strong statement in their Champions Trophy campaign.

The National Stadium in Karachi has historically been a batting-friendly venue, and recent matches suggest that trend will continue. While the average first-innings score has been around 240, recent games have seen teams push totals closer to the 300-mark. Notably, Pakistan chased down 350-plus against New Zealand at this very venue.

The pitch is expected to be flat and hard, offering good pace and bounce, making stroke play easier. While fast bowlers might get some assistance with the new ball under lights, the surface is likely to favour batters as the match progresses. Spinners could come into play in the latter half of the innings, as seen in Pakistan’s tournament opener against New Zealand.

Match details: Where and when to watch

Time: The AFG vs SA match will happen on Friday at 2.30 pm with the toss at 2 pm (IST).

Venue: The match will be played at National Cricket Stadium, Karachi.

Broadcast: The match will be broadcast on TV on Star Sports and Network 18 channels. The AFG vs SA match will be live-streamed on JioHotstar.

Squads:

Afghanistan: Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Ikram Alikhil, Gulbadin Naib, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Nangyal Kharoti, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Farid Malik, Naveed Zadran

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Reserves: Darwish Rasooli, Bilal Sami

South Africa: Temba Bavuma (c), Tony de Zorzi, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tristan Stubbs, Rassie van der Dussen, Corbin Bosch

Travelling reserve: Kwena Maphaka