The South African opening batter Ryan Rickelton has made a remarkable entry into the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy 2025, scoring a brilliant century in the Proteas’ opening match against Afghanistan at the National Stadium in Karachi.
Winning the toss, skipper Temba Bavuma’s decision to bat first paid off as Rickelton dominated the Afghan bowling attack with his knock of 103 runs off 106 balls. Rickelton’s knock was powered by 7 boundaries and a six.
Ryan Rickelton’s Impressive Stand with Temba Bavuma Strengthens South Africa in 1st Innings
Rickelton played a pivotal role in helping South Africa reach a respectable total after the early departure of fellow opener Tony de Zorzi (11). He built a formidable 129-run partnership with skipper Bavuma, who contributed 58 runs before getting dismissed by Mohammed Nabi.
Even after Bavuma’s exit, Rickelton continued his aggressive approach and reached his first-ever ODI century. His impressive knock ended due to a brilliant run-out from Rashid Khan.
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With this knock, Ryan Rickelton has now accumulated 291 runs across seven ODIs at an average of 41.57.
Notably, this match marks both his Champions Trophy debut and his first-ever ODI against Afghanistan.
Ryan Rickelton also became only the fifth South African batter to score a century in the history of Champions Trophy. He joins a prestigious group featuring Herschelle Gibbs, Graeme Smith, Jacques Kallis, and Hashim Amla. Meanwhile, Gibbs remains the only South African with multiple hundreds in the tournament, having scored three.
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Ryan Rickelton bags maiden IPL Contract with Mumbai Indians in IPL 2025
On the other hand, Ryan Rickelton’s talents have not gone unnoticed in the franchise cricket circuit. He bagged his first-ever IPL contract last year when Mumbai Indians bought him for ₹1 crore at the IPL 2025 mega auction. The Proteas batter will play under Hardik Pandya’s leadership in the upcoming IPL season.
Rickelton also represented MI Cape Town in the SA20 league and was one of the standout performers in the 2025 edition. He amassed 336 runs at an impressive average of 48 and a strike rate close to 179, playing a key role in his team’s triumph.
