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- Afghanistan vs South Africa Cricket highlights, Champions Trophy 2025: South Africa thrash Afghanistan by 107 runs in Karachi
Afghanistan vs South Africa Cricket highlights, Champions Trophy 2025: South Africa thrash Afghanistan by 107 runs in Karachi
Rickelton cracked a 106-ball 103 with seven boundaries and a six to anchor South Africa's imposing total of 315-6 in the Group B match at the National Stadium.
South Africa's pace attack of Kagiso Rabada (3-36), Wiaan Mulder (2-36) and Lungi Ngidi (2-56) then dismissed highly-fancied Afghanistan for just 208 in 43.3 overs.
South Africa blunted the threat of Afghanistan's slow bowlers with star leg-spinner Rashid Khan going wicketless for 59 runs in his 10 overs.
Rahmat Shah top-scored for Afghanistan with a fighting 92-ball 90 with nine boundaries and a six before he was the last man out.
Chasing a formidable target, Afghanistan desperately needed a fast start but lost flamboyant openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz for 10 and Ibrahim Zadran for only 17 by the 10th over.
Sediqullah Atal fell for 16 while skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi went without scoring as Afghanistan were left teetering at 50-4.
Shah and Azmatullah Omarzai (18) took the score to 89 before Rabada and Marco Jansen, who got rid of Mohammad Nabi, struck to effectively end Afghanistan's hopes.
Rashid Khan briefly entertained the crowd with a quickfire 13-ball 18 including a six and three boundaries.
Earlier, Rickelton was ably assisted by skipper Temba Bavuma (58), Rassie van der Dussen (52) and Aiden Markram (52 not out) to steer South Africa to a solid total after they won the toss and batted.
Nabi, who finished with 2-51, provided an early breakthrough with his first ball by dismissing opener Tony de Zorzi, caught at mid-on for 11.
Rickelton and Bavuma then added 129 for the second wicket as Afghanistan toiled in the field.
Bavuma hit five boundaries in his 76-ball knock before he was finally caught off a short Nabi delivery to give some joy to hundreds of Afghan fans in an otherwise sparse crowd.
Rickelton, who has two Test centuries to his name but a previous best of only 91 in ODIs, completed his first white ball century with a single.
Two runs later, however, he was gone, victim of an unlucky run out.
Coming down the pitch to drive Rashid, Rickelton was forced to turn quickly and dive back into his crease as the bowler collected and fired the ball to wicketkeeper Rahmanullah Gurbaz.
Rickelton appeared to make his ground but replays showed that his bat was slightly raised so not in the crease when Gurbaz whipped off the bails.
Van der Dussen hammered two sixes and three boundaries in his 46-ball knock before falling to spinner Noor Ahmad in the 43rd over.
It was left to Markram to take South Africa past the 300-mark, clubbing six boundaries and a six in a 36-ball 52 not out that helped the Proteas to add 50 runs in the last five overs.
Australia meet England in another Group B clash in Lahore on Saturday.
Pakistan, India, New Zealand and Bangladesh are in Group A. The top two teams from each group will qualify for the semi-finals.
- Rassie van der Dussen 12 (11)
- Ryan Rickelton 95 (94)
Noor Ahmad to Rassie van der Dussen, Too full and outside off, Rassie van der Dussen looks to drive but jams it out back to Ahmad.
Noor Ahmad to Ryan Rickelton, Flights it up, well outside off, Rickelton plays it to long off for one.
Noor Ahmad to Rassie van der Dussen, Flat and around off, this is knocked to sweeper cover for a single.
Noor Ahmad to Ryan Rickelton, Shorter and outside off, Rickelton plays it aerially through point for one.
Noor Ahmad to Ryan Rickelton, Too full and well wide of off. Rickelton drives it to cover. Rashid Khan half-stops for a couple of runs.
Noor Ahmad to Ryan Rickelton, Wide! Gives a lot of flight but well outside off, left alone.
Noor Ahmad to Ryan Rickelton, Down the leg side once again, Rickelton sweeps it to short fine leg.
Noor Ahmad to Ryan Rickelton, Wide! Noor dishes it down the leg side, Rickelton misses to clip.
- Rassie van der Dussen 11 (9)
- Ryan Rickelton 91 (90)
Mohammad Nabi to Rassie van der Dussen, Tossed up full and on middle, this is solidly blocked.
Mohammad Nabi to Ryan Rickelton, Angles it flat and on middle, Rickelton punches it to long on for one.
Mohammad Nabi to Rassie van der Dussen, On the pads, this is nudged to square leg for a single.
Mohammad Nabi to Rassie van der Dussen, FOUR! Fine shot! Too full and on middle, Rassie van der Dussen smashes it down to long on. Khan dives to his left, slides but fails to stop.
Mohammad Nabi to Ryan Rickelton, Flighted on off, Rickelton pushes it to long off for a single.
Mohammad Nabi to Ryan Rickelton, Tossed up on middle, Rickelton turns it to mid-wicket.
- Rassie van der Dussen 6 (6)
- Ryan Rickelton 89 (87)
Noor Ahmad to Rassie van der Dussen, Flatter and outside off, Rassie looks to cut but misses.
Noor Ahmad to Rassie van der Dussen, Gets away with one! Flatter and outside off. Rassie guts but misses.
Noor Ahmad to Rassie van der Dussen, FOUR! This is a poor over so far! Flatter and outside off. This is guided past point and it races away to the fence.
Noor Ahmad to Rassie van der Dussen, Better! Flatter and on off. Blocked.
Noor Ahmad to Ryan Rickelton, Down the leg side again. Wided again.
Noor Ahmad to Ryan Rickelton, WIDE! Down the leg side. Wided.
Noor Ahmad to Ryan Rickelton, FIVE WIDES! That's bonus! Not what Afghanistan wanted after a wicket. Down the leg side. Ryan looks to sweep but misses. No chance for the keeper and this races away.
Noor Ahmad to Rassie van der Dussen, This stays low! Around off. This is pushed past cover for one.
- Rassie van der Dussen 1 (1)
- Ryan Rickelton 88 (86)
Mohammad Nabi to Rassie van der Dussen, On middle. This is worked down to long on. Rassie is underway.
Rassie van der Dussen walks in next.
Mohammad Nabi to Temba Bavuma, OUT! TAKEN! No review can save him this time. Nabi does it yet again for his side and he's delighted. He survived a review on the last ball but now falls. That's a soft dismissal. Shorter and on middle. This holds in the surface a touch. Bavuma looks to pull. This goes off the top edge and deep mid-wicket takes an easy catch. Afghanistan will hope this opens the floodgates. A good knock from the skipper. He will hope his team can take it ahead from here.
Mohammad Nabi to Temba Bavuma, A loud appeal and the finger is raised! Bavuma reviews but that seems gone if no bat! NOT OUT! Can't believe that's missing the leg pole. Nobody out there can believe it. On leg. Bavuma looks to play the paddle scoop but misses and is hit on the pad. Just nothing going Afghanistan's way.
Mohammad Nabi to Temba Bavuma, Angled into the pads. Bavuma clips it to mid-wicket.
Mohammad Nabi to Temba Bavuma, On middle. This is worked to mid-wicket.
Mohammad Nabi to Ryan Rickelton, Fuller and on off. This is pushed down to long off for one.
Mohammad Nabi is back on.
- Temba Bavuma 58 (72)
- Ryan Rickelton 87 (85)
Gulbadin Naib to Temba Bavuma, Dot to end but another massive over! On off. Length. Kept out.
Gulbadin Naib to Temba Bavuma, FOUR! Pulled away! On the shorter side again. This is pulled again past square leg. No chance of stopping that one.
Gulbadin Naib to Temba Bavuma, Fuller and on off. This is driven hard but to cover.
Gulbadin Naib to Temba Bavuma, Around off. Defended.
Gulbadin Naib to Ryan Rickelton, Outside off. This is guided down to third man for one.
Gulbadin Naib to Ryan Rickelton, FOUR! Hammered! Slightly shorter and on middle. This is pulled hard and over the mid-wicket fielder. Boundary. Picks the length early.
- Ryan Rickelton 82 (83)
- Temba Bavuma 54 (68)
Noor Ahmad to Ryan Rickelton, Fuller and on middle. This is worked down to long on for one.
Noor Ahmad to Ryan Rickelton, On middle. Kept out.
Noor Ahmad to Temba Bavuma, On off. This is pushed down to long on for one.
Noor Ahmad to Ryan Rickelton, Three! Lovely timing! Fuller and outside off. This is slammed wide of long off. The fielder runs to his right and dives. Three taken.
Noor Ahmad to Temba Bavuma, On middle. This is worked through mid-wicket for one.
Noor Ahmad to Ryan Rickelton, On middle. This is pushed down to long on for one.
- Ryan Rickelton 77 (79)
- Temba Bavuma 52 (66)
Gulbadin Naib to Ryan Rickelton, On middle. This is pulled through mid-wicket for one.
Gulbadin Naib to Temba Bavuma, On middle. This is pushed down to long on for one.
Gulbadin Naib to Ryan Rickelton, Around off. This is driven past cover for one.
Gulbadin Naib to Ryan Rickelton, Ryan makes room. It is a slower one around off. It is chopped to cover.
Gulbadin Naib to Temba Bavuma, On middle. This is dragged wide of mid on. The fielder runs to his left, dives and stops it.
Gulbadin Naib to Temba Bavuma, Around off. Length. This is guided to point.
- Ryan Rickelton 75 (76)
- Temba Bavuma 50 (63)
Noor Ahmad to Ryan Rickelton, Half a chance! Shorter and down leg, Rickelton looks to pull but gloves it to the keeper who fails to collect and it lobs off his mitts to third man. Two runs.
Noor Ahmad to Temba Bavuma, That's fifty by the skipper! He continues to have a fine recent form! South Africa need more from him! Around off, full, this is pushed to long off for a single.
Match Statistics
Venue
National Stadium, Karachi
