• South Africa defeated Afghanistan in Match 03 of Champions Trophy 2025.

  • Ryan Rickelton earned the Player of the Match for his brilliant century.

Twitter reactions: Ryan Rickelton’s century leads South Africa to dominant win over Afghanistan in Champions Trophy 2025
South Africa beat Afghanistan in CT 2025 (Image Source: X)

Table of Contents

South Africa made a strong start to their ICC Champions Trophy 2025 campaign with a convincing 107-run victory over Afghanistan at Karachi’s National Stadium. Batting first, the Proteas put up an imposing 315/6, thanks to a magnificent century from Ryan Rickelton. Afghanistan, in response, faltered in their chase and were bowled out for 208 in 43.3 overs.

Ryan Rickelton’s masterclass leads South Africa to a big total

Opting to bat first, South Africa lost Tony de Zorzi early, but Rickelton held the innings together with a composed 103 off 106 balls, striking seven fours and a six. Captain Temba Bavuma contributed a steady 58 off 76, while Rassie van der Dussen and Aiden Markram accelerated the scoring with quickfire fifties. Van der Dussen’s 52 came off 46 balls, while Markram blazed his way to 52 off just 36 deliveries. Their efforts ensured South Africa reached a competitive 315/6 in 50 overs.

For Afghanistan, Mohammad Nabi was the pick of the bowlers, claiming 2/51 in his 10 overs. Fazalhaq Farooqi, Azmatullah Omarzai, and Noor Ahmad chipped in with a wicket each, but the attack struggled to contain the Proteas’ batting firepower.

Rahmat Shah’s resistance in vain as Rabada runs riot

Afghanistan’s chase got off to a shaky start as Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi struck early blows. Ibrahim Zadran, after hitting a six off Rabada, was clean bowled on the very next delivery, setting the tone for South Africa’s dominance. Rahmat Shah emerged as the lone warrior for Afghanistan, scoring a valiant 90 off 92 balls, but lacked support from the rest of the lineup.

The Afghan middle order crumbled under pressure, with Hashmatullah Shahidi departing for a duck and Nabi managing only 8 off 17 balls. Rashid Khan tried to entertain with an 18-run cameo, but the Proteas’ disciplined bowling attack ensured Afghanistan never got close to the target.

Also WATCH: 6 and bowled: Kagiso Rabada castles Ibrahim Zadran and gives him a fiery send-off in Champions Trophy 2025 – AFG vs SA

Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, and Wiaan Mulder seal the victory

Rabada was at his lethal best, picking up 3/36 in 8.3 overs, including the key wicket of Zadran. Wiaan Mulder and Ngidi provided excellent support, taking two wickets each, while Marco Jansen and Keshav Maharaj chipped in with a wicket apiece. Their collective effort wrapped up Afghanistan’s innings for 208, sealing an emphatic win for South Africa.

For his match-winning century that set up South Africa’s victory, Rickelton was deservedly named the Player of the Match. His knock laid the foundation for a total that proved far too steep for Afghanistan, ensuring South Africa started their Champions Trophy 2025 campaign on a winning note.

With this dominant performance, the Proteas have sent a strong message to their Group B rivals, while Afghanistan will need to regroup quickly to stay in contention for a semifinal spot.

Here is how Twitter reacted:

Also WATCH: AFG vs SA – Rahmat Shah takes a stunning catch to dismiss David Miller in Champions Trophy 2025

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