Afghanistan vs South Africa LIVE SCORE, Champions Trophy 2025:

Afghanistan vs South Africa LIVE SCORE, Champions Trophy 2025: Debutants Afghanistan will aim to continue their impressive rise in white-ball cricket, while South Africa will once again attempt to shed the ‘chokers’ tag when the two sides kick off their ICC Champions Trophy 2025 campaign on Friday in Karachi.

For the unknown, the inaugural ICC Champions Trophy in 1998 remained the only ICC title for the senior South African men’s team. The Proteas boast of a well-balanced squad with a formidable batting lineup.

However, their biggest challenge will be bowling, more so after losing pacers Anrich Nortje, Nandre Burger, and Gerald Coetzee due to injuries. On the other hand, Afghanistan have emerged as strong contenders to make the semifinals.

Their impressive performances in recent ICC events include dominant wins over England, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka in the 2023 ODI World Cup and reaching the semifinals of the T20 World Cup last year. The Afghans have won four of their five bilateral series since the ODI World Cup, including one against South Africa in the UAE.

Afghanistan vs South Africa probable XIs

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

South Africa: Temba Bavuma (c), Ryan Rickelton, Matthew Breetzke, Rassie van de Dussen, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), David Miller, Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Tabraiz Shamsi