South Africa wins the toss, elects to bat against Afghanistan in cricket’s Champions Trophy

By Canadian Press on February 21, 2025.

KARACHI, Pakistan (AP) — South Africa won the toss and elected to bat against Afghanistan in its opening Group B game of the Champions Trophy on Friday.

Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi dismissed political calls to boycott Afghanistan’s cricket games in the Champions Trophy after politicians in England and South Africa urged their cricket authorities to forfeit the group games against Afghanistan because of the Taliban’s ban on women’s sport and erosion of women’s rights.

South Africa suffered a blow when wicketkeeper-batter Heinrich Klaasen was ruled out of the opening game due to left elbow soft tissue injury.

South Africa included just one spinner, Keshav Maharaj, and went with four pace bowlers — Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Marco Jansen and Wiaan Mulder — in the hopes that a hard wicket which has some grass will suit pace bowlers.

Shahidi said he would have batted too had he won the toss, but is banking on his spinners Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi and Noor Ahmad to contain South Africa.

Afghanistan came into the tournament after winning four of its five bilateral ODI series since the 2023 World Cup, which included 2-1 victory against South Africa at Sharjah last year.

Afghanistan has done well in the white-ball format in recent years, narrowly missing out on the semifinals at 2023 World Cup in India before qualifying for the T20 World Cup semifinals last year.

South Africa, which won the first edition of Champions Trophy in 1998 when it was known as ICC Knockout, is at its full strength. It has lost the last six successive ODIs largely due to giving chances to its potential Champions Trophy contenders.

Pakistan is hosting its first major ICC tournament in 29 years since it co-hosted the 1996 World Cup with India and Sri Lanka.

New Zealand and India won their opening group A games against Pakistan and Bangladesh respectively.

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Lineups:

South Africa: Ryan Rickelton, Tony de Zorzi, Temba Bavuma (captain), Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi.

Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (captain), Azmatullah Omarzai, Gulbadin Naib, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi.

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AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

The Associated Press

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