South Africa captain Temba Bavuma won the toss and chose to bat against Afghanistan in Karachi on Friday. This is the third match of the 2025 Champions Trophy, and both teams are playing their first game of the tournament.
South Africa is still searching for its first ICC trophy, while Afghanistan is making its Champions Trophy debut—a big milestone for a team that continues to grow stronger in world cricket. Afghanistan has been improving every year, led by a few star players and a solid squad overall.
Their impressive performance in the 2023 ODI World Cup, where they defeated England and Pakistan, helped them qualify for this tournament. Hashmatullah Shahidi is leading the team as captain.
Afghanistan has been in good form since the World Cup, winning 8 out of their last 13 ODIs. This includes a 2-1 series victory against South Africa in Sharjah last year. That series featured South Africa’s top players, making Afghanistan’s win even more remarkable.
Long story short- it's gonna be one spicy contest.
Source: NDTV
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