One of the most expected matches in the tournament was the South Africa national cricketing team against Afghanistan national cricketing team. This was one of the most anticipated matches of the year, fans were excited to watch it, as it was an event full of excitement and moments to remember.
The South Africa national cricket team vs Afghanistan national cricket team match scorecard reflects a competitive battle, with both sides showcasing exceptional talent in batting, bowling, and fielding. This game had it all: the big alliances and the game changer. We can go deep into the detailed scorecard and revisit the major highlights that characterized this thrilling competition.
Match Overview
On 21 February 2025, South Africa won the first match of the ICC Champions Trophy in Group B at the National Stadium in Karachi by a massive margin of 107-runs over Afghanistan. Choosing to go to bat with the first innings, South Africa made a daunting 315/6 in 50 overs led by a maiden century by Ryan Rickelton (103 off 106 balls). He had Temba Bavuma (58), Rassie van der Dussen (52), and *Aiden Markram (52) to back him up.
In response, Afghanistan scored 208 all out in 43.3 overs with the most brilliant effort being 90 by Rahmat Shah. Bowlers in South Africa took over and Kagiso Rabada (3/36) and Wiaan Mulder (2/36) were at the fore. This overall performance was not only a good beginning for South Africa but also to show their variety and versatility to operate under tough environments.
Full Scorecard
The following is the Batting Performance Table of the South Africa vs Afghanistan game at the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, and some commentary on the major innings:
| Player Name | Runs | Balls Faced | Fours | Sixes | Strike Rate |
| Ryan Rickelton (wk) | 103 | 106 | 7 | 1 | 97.16 |
| Temba Bavuma | 58 | 63 | 4 | 0 | 92.06 |
| Rassie van der Dussen | 52 | 41 | 3 | 2 | 126.83 |
| Aiden Markram | 52* | 33 | 6 | 1 | 157.58 |
| David Miller | 14 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 93.33 |
| Others | – | – | – | – | – |
Bowling Analysis
The Bowling Performance Table of the South Africa vs Afghanistan game in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 and a commentary on some of the more notable bowling performances are provided here:
| Bowler Name | Overs | Runs Conceded | Wickets | Economy Rate |
| Kagiso Rabada | 9 | 36 | 3 | 4.00 |
| Wiaan Mulder | 9 | 36 | 2 | 4.00 |
| Lungi Ngidi | 9 | 56 | 2 | 6.22 |
| Sisanda Magala | 9 | 49 | 0 | 5.44 |
| Tabraiz Shamsi | 7 | 38 | 0 | 5.43 |
Match Summary
The Match Summary section here includes a summarized table and a brief story about the course of the match and its turning points:
| Team | Total Runs | Wickets Lost | Extras | Result |
| South Africa | 315/6 | 6 | 9 | Won by 107 runs |
| Afghanistan | 208 | 10 | 11 | Lost by 107 runs |
Player of the Match
Ryan Rickelton was named Player of the Match after his remarkable performance in the 107-run win of South Africa over Afghanistan in the Group B opener of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Rickelton opened the batting, and with 106 balls, he made a decisive 103 out of 106 including 7 fours and 1 six to give South Africa 315/6. His virgin ODI century was the prelude to the innings, giving it stability and momentum.
Rickelton in the post-match interview admitted to having been nervous at first, but he was pleased that he helped the team win. The conditions, he remarked, were hard with respect to the pitch, and that he found the surface bouncing at intervals, but we adjusted ourselves to it and made a respectable aggregate. The memorable performances of Rickelton formed the basis of the resounding victory of South Africa.
Team Performance Analysis
South Africa:
Batting: It was a wise move on the part of the South Africans to bat first with Ryan Rickelton scoring his maiden ODI century to anchor the batting. Temba Bavuma, Rassie van der Dussen and Aiden Markram contributed to make the total 315/6.
Bowling: The variable bounce of the Karachi pitch was used by the pace attack under the stewardship of Kagiso Rabada and Wiaan Mulder. The 3 wickets of Rabada and 2 wickets of Mulder were critical to limiting Afghanistan to 208.
Fielding: Fielding in South Africa was keen, and there were some important catches and quick ground work that put pressure on Afghanistan during the run.
Afghanistan:
Batting: Rahmat Shah stood up with a strong 90, but the middle order collapsed in pressure, and the overall effect was a collapse.
Bowling: Bowlers of Afghanistan failed to contain the South African batsmen and the only performance worth noting was the 2 wickets of Mohammad Nabi.
Fielding: Fielding in Afghanistan was quite good but it was not sufficient to counter the poor batting and bowling.
The flexibility of South Africa to the adverse conditions and their disciplined performance in all their departments saw them win in a total of 107 runs. Afghanistan will have to rebuild and work on their weaknesses before they have their next games.
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Post-Match Implications
Their 107-run victory not only earned them 2 points, but also put them firmly up the Group B line-up, the semi-final spot. They were clear favourites to occupy the first seed, being ranked higher by their net run rate, and Afghanistan had little chance left of making the first seed. According to the captain of the South African team Temba Bavuma, the risky move of choosing to bat first and learn the bounce of Karachi paid handsomely.
Final Word
The South Africa national cricket team vs Afghanistan national cricket team match scorecard reflects South Africa’s commanding win, built on Ryan Rickelton’s century and Rabada’s lethal spell. The fighting spirit of Afghanistan was displayed by the 90 of Rahmat Shah but they collapsed and it was over. The fans could watch the full match South Africa national cricket team vs Afghanistan national cricket team scorecard to experience all the moments. Comment and participate in the discussion regarding this exciting confrontation.
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