Afghanistan will take on South Africa in the third match of the Champions Trophy 2025 on Friday, February 21, at the National Stadium in Karachi. It will be the first game of the tournament for both teams.
Afghanistan played two warm-up games against Pakistan Shaheens and New Zealand, respectively. Against Pakistan Shaheens, the team was bundled out for 170 runs while chasing the target of 315 runs. In the second game against New Zealand, Afghanistan posted a total of 305 runs for the loss of nine wickets on the board. The Kiwis chased down the target of 306 runs in 47.5 overs with two wickets in hand.
South Africa faced Pakistan Shaheens in the warm-up game and chased down the target of 323 runs in 49 overs with three wickets in hand. Wiaan Mulder was the pick of the bowlers and took three wickets for 27 runs in five overs. Ryan Rickelton, Tony de Zorzi, Rassie van der Dussen, and Aiden Markram scored a half-century each for the team.
South Africa are ranked in fifth place in the ICC rankings currently, while Afghanistan are in eighth place. Both teams played a three-match ODI series in September last year. Afghanistan created history after winning the first two matches of the series and earned an unassailable lead. The Proteas jumped back in the third game as the series ended on a 2-1 margin.
Afghanistan have been really successful in recent times in white ball cricket. They have won eight out of their last 10 ODI matches and have recorded an average score of 221 runs.
South Africa have managed just three wins in their last 10 outings. They lost both their matches in the tri-series involving Pakistan and New Zealand recently. The second match was played at the National Stadium in Karachi, where the Proteas bowlers failed to defend their total of 352 runs. Pakistan won the match by six wickets in 49 overs.
Afghanistan vs South Africa Match Details
| Match | Afghanistan vs South Africa, Match 3 |
| Venue | National Stadium, Karachi |
| Date & Time | Friday, February 21, 2:30 PM (IST) |
| Live Streaming | JioHotstar (App and Website) |
| Broadcasting | Sports18/Star Sports Network |
Afghanistan vs South Africa Head to Head Records in ODI
| Total Matches | 5 |
| South Africa Won | 3 |
| Afghanistan Won | 2 |
| No Result | 0 |
National Stadium, Karachi ODI Stats
| Total Matches | 79 |
| Matches won batting first | 37 |
| Matches won bowling first | 39 |
| Average 1st innings Score | 240 |
| Average 2nd innings Score | 205 |
National Stadium, Karachi Pitch Report
The surface at the National Stadium in Karachi will likely provide a lot of support to the batters as we saw in the first game between New Zealand and Pakistan. The average first innings score here in the last five ODI matches has been 309 runs. The teams batting first have won three out of the last five matches here; hence, the team winning the toss might look to bat here. In the last 10 matches here, spinners have taken 54% of wickets, while the pacers have picked the remaining 46% of wickets.
Afghanistan vs South Africa Playing XI
Afghanistan
Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Fareed Ahmed, Fazalhaq Farooqi
South Africa
Temba Bavuma (c), Tony de Zorzi, Aiden Markram, Rassie van der Dussen, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), David Miller, Marco Jansen, Wiaan Mulder, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi
Afghanistan vs South Africa Top Performers
Heinrich Klaasen (South Africa)
- Scored 87 runs off 56 deliveries in his last outing at the National Stadium in Karachi.
- Made 198 runs in eight innings in SA20 at a strike rate of 134.69.
- Highest ranked Proteas batter in ICC rankings.
- Has scored over 1000 runs in ODIs since 2023.
Marco Jansen (South Africa)
- Picked two wickets for 44 runs in seven overs in the warm-up game against Pakistan Shaheens.
- Was the leading wicket-taker in SA20 and finished with 19 wickets in 13 games.
- Picked 33 wickets in 20 ODI games in 2023 at an average of 29.96.
Azmatullah Omarzai (Afghanistan)
- Ranked in number three place in ICC rankings for all-rounders in ODIs.
- Took three wickets in total in the warm-up matches against Pakistan Shaheens and New Zealand.
- Won the ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year award in 2024.
- Has scored 210 runs in four ODI matches against South Africa.
Rashid Khan (Afghanistan)
- Ranked in second position in ICC rankings for bowlers in ODIs.
- Has taken seven wickets in his last five overall outings.
- Has taken nine wickets in four ODI matches against the Proteas at an average of 14.55.
Aiden Markram (South Africa)
- Scored an unbeaten 54 runs off 46 deliveries against Pakistan Shaheens in the warm-up game.
- Made 340 runs in 13 innings in SA20 at an average of 37.77 and scored three half-centuries.
- Has made 117 runs in four outings against Afghanistan in ODIs at an average of 39.
Who will win Today match between Afghanistan vs South Africa?
Afghanistan have had a dream run in the recent few years. They have already defeated South Africa in an ODI series last year. However, it might be tough for them to repeat the same performance here. South Africa might have an upper-hand over Afghanistan in this game.
FAQs
1. What is the head-to-head record between AFG and SA in ODIs?
Afghanistan and South Africa have played a total of five ODI matches so far. South Africa have won three out of these five games, while Afghanistan have been victorious on two occassions.
2. Who are the Main players to watch out for in AFG vs SA match?
Heinrich Klaasen, Marco Jansen, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, and Aiden Markram are a few players to watch out for in this match.
3. Who is likely to win today’s Afghanistan vs South Africa match?
South Africa are likely to win this game against Afghanistan and start their campaign on a positive note.
4. Where will the Afghanistan vs South Africa Champions Trophy 2025 match be played?
The third match of the Champions Trophy 2025 between Afghanistan and South Africa will be played at the National Stadium in Karachi.
