Karachi: South Africa stormed into the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 with an emphatic 107-run win over Afghanistan in match number three at the National Stadium in Karachi on Friday. A sensational century from Ryan Rickelton and a disciplined bowling effort, led by Kagiso Rabada, ensured a comfortable victory for the Proteas in their tournament opener.

Batting first, South Africa posted an imposing 315/6 in 50 overs. Despite losing Tony de Zorzi early, captain Temba Bavuma (58 off 76) and Ryan Rickelton (100 off 116) built a crucial 129-run partnership for the second wicket. Rickelton’s maiden ODI century featured seven fours and a six, anchoring the innings. He later shared a 44-run stand with Rassie van der Dussen, who contributed a solid 50. Aiden Markram’s unbeaten 52 off 36 balls provided late acceleration, ensuring a competitive total for the Proteas.

Afghanistan’s bowling attack struggled to contain the South African batters. Mohammad Nabi (2/51) was the most effective, while Noor Ahmad, Azmatullah Omarzai, and Fazalhaq Farooqi chipped in with a wicket each. However, Rashid Khan endured a tough outing, finishing wicketless and conceding 59 runs in 10 overs.

Chasing 316 for victory, Afghanistan faltered from the start, losing both openers cheaply. The team never recovered from early setbacks, as wickets fell at regular intervals. Rahmat Shah (90 off 92) played a lone battle, displaying resilience, but found little support from the other end. Afghanistan was eventually bundled out for 208, falling 107 runs short of the target.

South Africa’s bowlers executed their plans effectively, maintaining pressure throughout the innings. Kagiso Rabada led the attack with figures of 3/36, dismissing key batters including Ibrahim Zadran and Azmatullah Omarzai. Lungi Ngidi, Marco Jansen, and Wiaan Mulder also contributed with crucial breakthroughs, ensuring Afghanistan never gained momentum.

The defeat exposed Afghanistan’s vulnerabilities, particularly in middle-order stability and shot selection. Captain Hashmatullah Shahidi’s decision to play an aggressive shot early in his innings backfired, resulting in a poorly timed dismissal. Sediqullah Atal (16 off 32) struggled for rhythm, while Rashid Khan failed to make an impact with the ball.

With this resounding win, South Africa kickstarts its Champions Trophy campaign in dominant fashion, showcasing both batting depth and bowling firepower. Afghanistan, on the other hand, will need a quick turnaround to keep their semi-final hopes alive in the tournament.