The first match of Group B in the Champions Trophy 2025 between Afghanistan vs South Africa is set to take place on Friday in Karachi, and it could be the most exciting fixture in this group—despite the presence of powerhouses like Australia and England.

Afghanistan vs South Africa: Team Form and Momentum

Australia enters the tournament on the back of a poor run, having lost their last four ODIs, while England struggled in India, losing seven out of eight white-ball games. South Africa, too, have endured a six-match losing streak in ODIs, but those games were played without several first-choice players, who are now back in the squad.

Meanwhile, Afghanistan has been in top form, winning eight of their last ten ODIs, including a 2-1 series victory over South Africa in Sharjah last year. While the Proteas return to full strength, Afghanistan’s recent performances make them a genuine threat.

A Battle of Fan Support and Cricketing History
South African cricket holds a special place in Pakistan’s cricket culture, given both nations’ legacy of producing elite fast bowlers. However, Afghanistan will enjoy overwhelming crowd support, with Karachi home to approximately 360,000 Afghan refugees, part of the 3.1 million Afghans residing in Pakistan.

Pakistan has played a crucial role in Afghanistan’s cricketing journey, as many of their players learned the game while living as refugees in the country during the 1990s. Due to ongoing political and security issues, Afghanistan has never hosted an international game at home, playing 202 matches at neutral venues and 125 away.

The Taliban’s return to power in 2021 and their restrictive policies on women have led to calls for teams to boycott matches against Afghanistan. While Australia and England have suspended bilateral series, no team has withdrawn from Champions Trophy fixtures. When asked about the impact of the controversy, Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi remained focused, saying:

“As sportsmen, our job is to play cricket. We don’t care what’s going on outside. We can only control what happens on the ground.”

Previous ICC Encounter & Match Conditions
At the 2024 T20 World Cup, Afghanistan made a deep run, reaching the semifinals before being bowled out for 56 by South Africa in Tarouba, losing by nine wickets. However, Karachi’s pitch will be nothing like Tarouba’s challenging surface, setting the stage for a much closer contest.

• 📍 Venue: Karachi International Stadium
• ⏰ Match Time: February 21, 14:00 Local | 11:00 SAT | 14:30 IST
• 🌡️ Conditions: Hot and dry, with a batting-friendly pitch that could produce around 600 runs

Team News & Probable XIs

Afghanistan 🏏

Ibrahim Zadran is set to make his comeback after a long injury layoff.

Likely Playing XI:
Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Azmatullah Omarzai, Gulbadin Naib, Mohammad Nabi, Nangyal Kharoti, Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad

South Africa 🇿🇦

Tony de Zorzi’s spot remains uncertain despite a half-century against Pakistan Shaheens in a warm-up match.

Likely Playing XI:
Temba Bavuma (c), Ryan Rickelton, Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Marco Jansen, Wiaan Mulder, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi

Did You Know?

🔹 South Africa has lost three out of four ODIs played in Karachi
🔹 Afghanistan has played only two ODIs in Pakistan, both in Lahore during the 2023 Asia Cup
🔹 Teams batting first and chasing have nearly equal wins (27 vs 28) in ODIs at Karachi

Captains Speak 🎙️

🗣️ Hashmatullah Shahidi (Afghanistan Captain):

“Many Pashtuns who support our team live in Pakistan. We hope their support is with us, and we aim to give them a good result.”

🗣️ Temba Bavuma (South Africa Captain):

“Afghanistan are extremely competitive in these conditions. Their mystery spinners and swing bowlers will pose a real challenge.”

Final Thoughts

South Africa might be the favorites on paper, but Afghanistan’s recent performances and familiarity with the conditions make them a serious contender. Expect a high-scoring game and a thrilling contest between bat and ball!