Afghanistan vs South Africa Highlights, Champions Trophy: Proteas seal 107-run victory despite Rahmat Shah fightback
Afghanistan vs South Africa Highlights, Champions Trophy: South Africa went top of Group B with a comfortable 107-run victory over Afghanistan, with Ryan Rickelton and Kagiso Rabada starring for the Proteas. Rahmat Shah's fine 90 went in vain.
- 10:05 PM IST, Feb 21That's all from us today!
- 9:56 PM IST, Feb 21Curtains! Not to be for Rahmat as Rabada snaps up his third
- 9:52 PM IST, Feb 21Rahmat in the 90s
- 9:38 PM IST, Feb 21Three consecutive fours by Rahmat!
- 9:28 PM IST, Feb 21Entertaining cameo from Rashid Khan comes to an end
- 9:19 PM IST, Feb 21South Africa 3 wickets away as Gulbadin departs
- 9:10 PM IST, Feb 21Rahmat brings up fighting 50
- 8:53 PM IST, Feb 21Another wicket, 120/6 as Nabi departs
- 8:29 PM IST, Feb 21Rabada returns and strikes! 86-5
- 8:22 PM IST, Feb 21Rahmat, Azmat reconstruct
- 8:00 PM IST, Feb 21It gets worse as Shahidi out for duck
- 7:51 PM IST, Feb 21Disaster! Atal run-out
- 7:43 PM IST, Feb 2150 up for Afghanistan
- 7:29 PM IST, Feb 21Six and put! Rabada gets Zadran
- 7:17 PM IST, Feb 21Maiden from Jansen
- 7:01 PM IST, Feb 21Gurbaz gone! Great bouncer by Ngidi
- 6:50 PM IST, Feb 213 off first over, Gurbaz struck
- 6:43 PM IST, Feb 21Back for the chase
- 6:15 PM IST, Feb 21Proteas finish on 315/6
- 6:04 PM IST, Feb 21Timberrrrr!!! Omarzai knocks Jansen over first ball
- 6:01 PM IST, Feb 21Great catch in the deep! Miller departs
- 5:59 PM IST, Feb 214, 4, 4! Markram on fire
- 5:56 PM IST, Feb 2112-run over off Noor
- 5:52 PM IST, Feb 21AFG containing South Africa well
- 5:36 PM IST, Feb 21Noor dismisses Rassie!
- 5:33 PM IST, Feb 21Van der Dussen brings up 50 with six off Rashid
- 5:28 PM IST, Feb 21South Africa 230/3 with 10 overs left
- 5:11 PM IST, Feb 21RICKELTON GONE! Sharp from Rashid in the field
- 5:06 PM IST, Feb 21CENTURY FOR RICKELTON!
- 4:54 PM IST, Feb 21Rickelton approaches century, South Africa targeting 350
- 4:40 PM IST, Feb 21Afghanistan find the breakthrough!
- 4:31 PM IST, Feb 21150 for South Africa
- 4:21 PM IST, Feb 21Bavuma reaches half-century as well
- 4:14 PM IST, Feb 21Century partnership for the pair
- 4:04 PM IST, Feb 21Rashid good to go, but unhappy as misfield lets boundary slip
- 4:02 PM IST, Feb 21Concern as Rashid Khan goes down
- 3:58 PM IST, Feb 21100 up for South Africa
- 3:38 PM IST, Feb 2150 for Rickelton!
- 3:32 PM IST, Feb 21Rashid Khan into the attack
- 3:22 PM IST, Feb 21Patient from South Africa
- 3:12 PM IST, Feb 21Rickelton unleashes for first 6
- 2:58 PM IST, Feb 21Nabi strikes in his first ball! Removes De Zorzi!
- 2:54 PM IST, Feb 21De Zorzi, Rickelton show intent
- 2:45 PM IST, Feb 21Cautious approach by De Zorzi-Rickleton opening pair, SA - 8/0 (3)
- 2:36 PM IST, Feb 21Decent opening over by Farooqi
- 2:32 PM IST, Feb 21The action begins! De Zorzi and Rickleton open for SA!
- 2:24 PM IST, Feb 21Time for national anthems!
- 2:10 PM IST, Feb 21Here are the playing XIs
- 2:05 PM IST, Feb 21What did the captains say?
- 2:03 PM IST, Feb 21SA win toss!
- 1:53 PM IST, Feb 21Toss coming up!
- 1:43 PM IST, Feb 21Shahidi on AFG's underdogs tag
- 1:34 PM IST, Feb 21‘No real baggage exists amongst the guys’ - Temba Bavuma
- 1:22 PM IST, Feb 21SA's twin threat!
- 1:13 PM IST, Feb 21AFG eye revenge
- 1:00 PM IST, Feb 21Squads
- 12:43 PM IST, Feb 21Will AFG miss Ghazanfar?
- 12:32 PM IST, Feb 21But Rashid Khan still the talisman
- 12:23 PM IST, Feb 21Afghanistan’s ICC Player of the Year winner
- 12:13 PM IST, Feb 21Kagiso Rabada, the best pacer in the tournament
- 12:04 PM IST, Feb 21South Africa’s middle order threat
- 11:55 AM IST, Feb 21Afghanistan fresh off series victory vs South Africa
- 11:44 AM IST, Feb 21Afghanistan's debut amongst the elite
- 11:42 AM IST, Feb 21South Africa looking for another ICC final
- 11:19 AM IST, Feb 21We are back in Karachi
- 11:10 AM IST, Feb 21Hello and welcome!

Afghanistan vs South Africa Highlights, ICC Champions Trophy 2025: South Africa got off to a winning start as they search for their first ICC trophy victory, as Afghanistan were outclassed on their Champions Trophy debut. Kagiso Rabada took three wickets as the Proteas won by 107 runs, with Rahmat Shah's 90 not enough in a solo battle against the South Africans. Earlier on in the day, Ryan Rickelton's century had set up a score of 315/6 for South Africa, with the opener given able support by Temba Bavuma and Rassie van der Dussen, before Aiden Markram finished the innings with a flourish....Read More
Afghanistan’s debut is going to be an exciting one to watch, a country that seems to improve at cricket with every passing year, spearheaded by a couple of superstars but with plenty of quality players and firepower throughout now. Three massive victories in the 2023 ODI World Cup, notably over England and Pakistan, helped the team qualify for their first tilt in the Champions Trophy, where they will be captained by Hashmatullah Shahidi.
Afghanistan have enjoyed a fairly strong run since the World Cup as well, winning 8 and losing only five of the ODIs they have played since, giving them some sort of momentum heading into the tournament. Notably, this includes a 2-1 series win over today’s opponents South Africa, when they hosted the Proteas for a three-match series in Sharjah last year. This was no weakened South African unit either: it was their star players, most of the team involved in this tournament, who were simply outclassed in one of the more significant bilateral performances in recent memory.
All eyes will be on Rashid Khan, but Afghanistan also boast of ICC’s ODI Player of the Year for 2024, with all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai having averaged 52 with the bat and 20 with the ball to establish himself as one of the premier pace bowling all-rounders in Asia. Nothing to scoff at, given the rarity of his kind, and another big boost as Afghanistan try and shed the tag of the plucky underdog, and try to become recognised as true dark-horse contenders in their own right. They won’t consider their semifinal appearance at last year’s T20 World Cup to be an aberration.
Meanwhile, this generation of South African cricket strives to establish itself as arguably the best cross-format team once again, after a brief blip in recent years. Semifinal at the ODI World Cup, final at the T20 World Cup, and a World Test Championship final at Lord’s to look forward to, that’s all well and good for Temba Bavuma’s spirited and talented unit. But at home, and from shores abroad, the question is the same: where is the silverware to commemorate all that good work?
The pieces are all there. A phenomenal middle order with Tristan Stubbs, Heinrich Klaasen, and David Miller, experienced pros in Aiden Markram and Bavuma, spin through Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi, a pace attack led by Kagiso Rabada, inarguably the best seamer in the competition still left standing. This team has made a habit of making deep runs in tournaments, but they still need that extra oomph to get over the line.
They will, however, not consider the Afghanistan team to be pushovers by any means. These two teams have only competed in five ODIs ever, and it’s a narrow 3-2 lead for South Africa in terms of head-to-head. One of the South African wins came all the way back in the 2019 World Cup, which may as well be 60 years ago and not just 6 in terms of how rapidly the Afghans have progressed. South Africa’s batting was dominated by Afghanistan’s bowling twice in Sharjah last year, so the wariness and the respect against this opposition will be very, very real from the Proteas.
Both teams will have the benefit of having watched the opening match of this tournament played in Karachi, and will know what the pitch will play like. With minimal movement and plenty of runs to be had, the powerful hitters on both teams will be licking their lips — but this also means it could very easily come down to how well Rashid Khan performs, and if he can break the spin-vulnerable batting of South Africa. They will miss the massively talented Allah Ghazanfar, but have able replacements in Noor Ahmad and Mujeeb-ur-Rahman. Similarly, can Rabada, Jansen and company be potent for the Proteas if the pitch doesn’t offer their bowlers too much lateral movement? In a wide-open Group B, this promises to be a hugely significant contest.
South Africa vs Afghanistan LIVE Score: That's all from us today!
South Africa vs Afghanistan LIVE Score: So South Africa with a comprehensive victory to head to the top. The other two teams in this group face off tomorrow in a rivalry match over in Lahore, as a hamstrung Australian team try to find some momentum up against England, a team struggling themselves. See you then!
South Africa vs Afghanistan LIVE Score: Curtains! Not to be for Rahmat as Rabada snaps up his third
South Africa vs Afghanistan LIVE Score: Just a peach by KG Rabada to dislodge Rahmat Shah after a great innings. Yorker at off stump, Rahmat can only edge it behind.
Rabada's third wicket, and only right that Rickelton completes the catch as the innings comes to an end.
Afghanistan bowled out for 208, South Africa go top of group B with a comfortable 107-run victory.
South Africa vs Afghanistan LIVE Score: Rahmat in the 90s, but one wicket away
South Africa vs Afghanistan LIVE Score: Game kind of trundling along towards its end now, but Rahmat is onto 90. Been a brave effort from him, looked extremely classy as he's gone about his work tonight.
He's losing partners, though: Wiaan Mulder bowls Noor Ahmed with a beautiful delivery that would give any batter trouble, let alone number 10.
What first? Rahmat's 100th run or SA's 10th wicket?
South Africa vs Afghanistan LIVE Score: Three consecutive fours by Rahmat!
South Africa vs Afghanistan LIVE Score: Some phenomenal boundary-hitting by Rahmat Shah in Keshav Maharaj's last over for the day. Finds gaps, and is hitting it really well now. Moves on to 78 — can he find his way to a century before he runs out of partners?
South Africa vs Afghanistan LIVE Score: Entertaining cameo from Rashid Khan comes to an end
South Africa vs Afghanistan LIVE Score: Rashid won't die wondering, that's clear. He faced 13 balls for 18 runs, either finding the boundary or swinging and missing.
After a six and three boundaries, he tries to smash it out of the park against Maharaj, but can't find the contact or elevation. Caught by Markram at mid-wicket inside the ring, two wickets away now.
South Africa vs Afghanistan LIVE Score: South Africa 3 wickets away as Gulbadin departs
South Africa vs Afghanistan LIVE Score: Another one as Gulbadin tries to step down and hit against Ngidi. It's pitched short and climbs up on him, no control over the shot as it loops straight to mid-off.
Rashid Khan announces his arrival at the crease with a six, but just a matter of time now, it seems. 152/7 in 35 overs.
South Africa vs Afghanistan LIVE Score: Rahmat brings up fighting 50
South Africa vs Afghanistan LIVE Score: A half-century to be proud of for Rahmat Shah, playing solidly through while losing partners at the other end. 177 needed of 102, already 6 down, but Rahmat wants to ensure his team don't go down without a fight.
South Africa vs Afghanistan LIVE Score: Another wicket, 120/6 as Nabi departs
South Africa vs Afghanistan LIVE Score: A Marco Jansen bouncer does the trick this time, rushes Nabi who can only pop it into the air for catching practice at square leg inside the circle.
Rahmat still fighting a lone battle, but South Africa not too far now.
South Africa vs Afghanistan LIVE Score: Rabada returns and strikes! 86-5
South Africa vs Afghanistan LIVE Score: Strangled down the leg-side, is Azmatullah Omarzai. Rabada sends one in short and down leg, it's not a great delivery, but enough bounce to cramp Azmat, who can only glove it. Rickelton collects down the leg-side, big impact from South Africa's impact bowler.
South Africa vs Afghanistan LIVE Score: Rahmat, Azmat reconstruct
South Africa vs Afghanistan LIVE Score: Azmatullah Omarzai in now alongside Rahmat Shah, and they're going about their business well. Still plenty of work to do, but Afghanistan won't want to go away.
After 21 overs, 84/4. Required rate approaching 8 steadily…
South Africa vs Afghanistan LIVE Score: It gets worse as Shahidi out for duck
South Africa vs Afghanistan LIVE Score: Nothing going Afghanistan's way. Shahidi tries to clear the infield to get off the mark, but the smallest man on the field in Temba Bavuma is also the finest fielder. Struck hard and high, but perfect timing and great hands from the Proteas skipper to hold on.
51/4, drinks called.
South Africa vs Afghanistan LIVE Score: Disaster! Atal run-out
South Africa vs Afghanistan LIVE Score: No no no, Afghanistan! Cannot be run-out trying to sneak a quick single at this stage! Far too risky from Atal, his call as he ran to the danger end. It was to Marco Jansen's weak side at mid-on, yes, but the big man does phenomenally to get around and fire a deadly-accurate shy at the stumps. Atal caught short, Afghanistan falling apart. 50/3 after 14.
South Africa vs Afghanistan LIVE Score: 50 up for Afghanistan
South Africa vs Afghanistan LIVE Score: It's been slow going for Afghanistan, taking 76 deliveries to score 50, but watchful and careful is how they will need to play for the next few overs. Atal joined by Rahmat Shah at the minute, can they stick around and make this competitive?
South Africa vs Afghanistan LIVE Score: Six and ut! Rabada gets Zadran
South Africa vs Afghanistan LIVE Score: Last laugh for Rabada after Zadran hammers him over his head. Rabada with a send-off — he's been fiery, and gets his just reward as he knocks back Zadran's middle stump as the batter backs away to make room.
Trouble for Afghanistan. 38/2 in 9.4 overs.
South Africa vs Afghanistan LIVE Score: Maiden from Jansen
South Africa vs Afghanistan LIVE Score: Afghanistan can't afford maidens in the powerplay. Jansen bowling well, particularly to the lefty Atal, and Afghanistan needed to get something going here. 28/1 after 7, run rate pressure will start mounting.
South Africa vs Afghanistan LIVE Score: Gurbaz gone! Great bouncer by Ngidi
South Africa vs Afghanistan LIVE Score: Early wicket for South Africa and the dangerous Gurbaz departs! Hits Ngidi for four, but the follow-up is a well-directed bouncer. Right at the left shoulder, Gurbaz can't get enough on it, and it loops to short fine leg for a simple catch.
16/1, not the start Afghanistan needed in this chase.
South Africa vs Afghanistan LIVE Score: 3 off first over, Gurbaz struck
South Africa vs Afghanistan LIVE Score: Slight concern as Gurbaz goes down after an inside edge onto his inner thigh, but he's good to continue. Watchful first over.
Lungi Ngidi from the other end — South Africa do like saving Kagiso Rabada and using him as a first or even second-change bowler in ODIs.
South Africa vs Afghanistan LIVE Score: Back for the chase
South Africa vs Afghanistan LIVE Score: Tall task for Afghanistan here, comfortably their biggest ever chase demanded of them on this Karachi track which wasn't easy to bat on in the first game.
Ibrahim Zadran and Rahmanullah Gurbaz to open, and a good powerplay needed to set the platform. Marco Jansen with the first over, and here we go.
South Africa vs Afghanistan LIVE Score: Only the second time there have been 4 50+ scores in one CT innings
South Africa vs Afghanistan LIVE Score: South Africa had one centurion in Ryan Rickelton, and three half-centurions with Bavuma, van der Dussen, and Aiden Markram. This is only the second time that a team has managed to have four different batters rack up 50+ scores, the last time this happened being India's performance in the group stage of the 2017 tournament against Pakistan.
South Africa vs Afghanistan LIVE Score: Proteas finish on 315/6
South Africa vs Afghanistan LIVE Score: Really good from Afghanistan in the death to concede only 85 in the last 10 overs, given how many powerful hitters South Africa boast of. Wiaan Mulder with a 6 off the last ball to take them to 315, but they were looking at 350 at one point. Solid fight back from Afghanistan on Champions Trophy debut.
Back with the second innings chase next.
South Africa vs Afghanistan LIVE Score: Timberrrrr!!! Omarzai knocks Jansen over first ball
South Africa vs Afghanistan LIVE Score: Everything going Afghanistan's way now. Jansen takes strike for his first ball, and goes for the big drive but gets nowhere close. You miss, I hit, says Azmatullah Omarzai, knocking the leg-stump back.
10 balls left in the innings, 299/6.
South Africa vs Afghanistan LIVE Score: Incredible catch in the deep! Miller departs
South Africa vs Afghanistan LIVE Score: Afghanistan's fielding has been somewhat subpar today, but that's incredible work on the cover boundary by Rahmat. Makes up a lot of ground to his right against a flat hit, and times the dive to perfection. Hangs on to the ball and stays away from the boundary rope, and the dangerous Miller undone by an incredibly well-taken catch.
298/5, two overs left.
South Africa vs Afghanistan LIVE Score: 4, 4, 4! Markram on fire
South Africa vs Afghanistan LIVE Score: Fantastic acceleration from Markram in these last couple of overs, hitting the first 3 balls of Farooqi's over to the fence. The third is the finest, a low full-toss which Markram plays with a straight bat over the head of mid-off. Pure timing.
South Africa vs Afghanistan LIVE Score: 12-run over off Noor
South Africa vs Afghanistan LIVE Score: There's the big hitting South Africa want. A boundary over the off-side from Markram, followed by a powerful shot for six as he clears his front leg and deposits it.
300 within sight, but South Africa will want more.
South Africa vs Afghanistan LIVE Score: AFG containing South Africa well
South Africa vs Afghanistan LIVE Score: Afghanistan doing well at the moment to not let the batters totally explode. Both Miller and Markram going at run-a-ball, with Noor being used in an interesting death overs role.
272/4, 4 overs left in the innings.



Live Score
Cricket Players