Champions Trophy: Ryan Rickelton, pacers annihilate Afghanistan in Karachi
South Africa started their marketing campaign within the Champions Trophy 2025 with a commanding win over Afghanistan by 107 runs on Friday, February 21 at Nationwide Stadium, Karachi. After opting to bat first, South Africa posted a mammoth rating of 315/6 of their allotted 50 overs as Ryan Rickelton (103 off 106) starred together with his maiden ODI hundred.
In reply, Afghanistan crumbled underneath big scoreboard strain as their chase by no means received going, and so they have been bundled out for 208 in 43.3 overs. Rahmat Shah fought a lone battle for his workforce together with his innings of 90 (92) whereas Kagiso Rabada starred with the ball for the Proteas, registering figures of three/36 in 8.3 overs.
Afghanistan didn’t get off to a flying begin as openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran have been watchful early on, including 12 runs within the first three overs. It didn’t take lengthy for South Africa to finish their resistance as Lungi Ngidi stunned Gurbaz (10 off 14) with a bouncer, who top-edged a pull shot to Keshav Maharaj at short-leg ultimate.
Champions Trophy 2025: Afghanistan vs South Africa Highlights
Kagiso Rabada additionally received into the act and destroyed Ibrahim Zadran’s (17 off 29) stumps to depart Afghanistan on 38/2 as Rahmat Shah walked to the crease. To make issues worse, Sediqullah Atal (16 off 32) was run out courtesy of a direct hit by Marco Jansen. As Afghanistan’s ship stored on sinking, Rahmat Shah was the one man placing up a struggle as he scored a gritty half-century. He continued to play a free-flowing innings whereas the remainder of the batters faltered underneath strain.
He sadly fell 10 runs wanting his sixth ODI hundred, turning into the ultimate wicket to fall for Afghanistan as they received all out for 208. Rabada (3/36), Lungi Ngidi (2/56) and Wiaan Mulder (2/36) emerged as prime wicket takers for the Proteas.
Ryan Rickelton dominates Afghanistan
Earlier within the day, South Africa misplaced Tony de Zorzi (11 off 11) early as he received dismissed by Mohammad Nabi (2/51) to depart his workforce on 28/1 in 5.1 overs. Nevertheless, his opening companion Ryan Rickelton, appeared in good rhythm proper from the phrase go as he received off the mark with a boundary on the third supply in opposition to Fazalhaq Farooqi.
He additional took on the Afghan seamer within the fourth over, clobbering him for consecutive boundaries and in addition smashed him for his solely six within the innings. The 28-year-old, taking part in simply his seventh ODI, confirmed nice maturity on the crease together with his fixed rotation of the strike as he constructed a century stand for the second wicket with Temba Bavuma.
The southpaw introduced up his second ODI fifty off 48 balls after smashing a few boundaries in opposition to Azmatullah Omarzai. On the different finish, Bavuma additionally held the fort as they received concerned in an enormous 129-run partnership off 142 balls for the second wicket. Bavuma (58 off 76) introduced up his sixth ODI fifty and holed out on the very subsequent supply after surviving an in depth lbw shout in opposition to Nabi.
Van der Dussen and Markram give good end
Nevertheless, Rickelton continued to take his innings ahead as he appeared decided to notch up an enormous rating. The flashing blade of Rickelton spared not one of the Afghan bowlers and he rapidly moved into the 90s. Regardless of lacking out on his century final 12 months in opposition to Eire, the southpaw confirmed no qualms in any way as he moved nearer to the milestone.
He lastly reached the elusive three-figure mark off 101 balls by taking a single in opposition to Nabi and acknowledged the appreciation of the group and the dressing room by elevating his bat. Nevertheless, his innings got here to an unlucky finish as he received run out by Rashid Khan in a weird trend.
There was nonetheless no respite for Afghanistan as Rassie van der Dussen (52 off 46) and Aiden Markram took South Africa previous 300 with their respective centuries. Wiaan Mulder additional gave the proper end to the innings smashing a six and 4 on the final two balls.
