South Africa vs England Live Score, ICC Champions Trophy 2025: South Africa’s Temba Bavuma, center, and teammates congratulate each other after winning the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match against Afghanistan, in Karachi.
South Africa vs England Live Score, ICC Champions Trophy 2025: It is the penultimate group-stage match of the ICC Champions Trophy. Two teams with contrastingly different fortunes go head-to-head in what is more or less a formality of a game, but one that could have a significant impact on the rest of this tournament nonetheless. South Africa, who have all but qualified, are up against England, already subjected to two losses and eliminated from the tournament.…Read More
South Africa are tied on points with Afghanistan, but having thrashed them in the opening game of their campaign, are well clear on the NRR front. England would need to beat the Proteas by 207 runs, or chase down a small target at more than 10 runs per over. Afghanistan won’t be hoping for any favours from an English team who have looked lacklustre all tournament and well before, especially with Jos Buttler announcing that he will step down from captaincy. There isn’t a lot of spirit in this English camp, but every team wants something to show for their effort. Who knows, maybe all it requires is a win in this contest for England to find some sort of spark.
Meanwhile, South Africa will want top spot in this group, and will fight for that. They are the second-strongest team in the competition on balance of teams, and will want the group placement to warrant that kind of stature. They will also be hoping to avoid playing India in Dubai earlier than they have to, and while they will need to rely on results in Group A for that, there is no question that their strengths lie in playing on surfaces such as the one they will get in Karachi today, or in Lahore should they make that semifinal. So far in Karachi in this tournament, both matches have been won by teams scoring in the 310-320 range batting first, and might therefore not be a chasing pitch.
Of course, South Africa have also only played one match this tournament, and getting in more gametime will be crucial. They looked in solid form against Afghanistan, but will want their batting to play itself into form and for the bowlers to get more reps into playing in these subcontinental conditions. They will also be hoping that Heinrich Klaasen is fit to play, and in doing so gain a game-changing player who could be the difference between 350 and 400 if he can find his groove in the middle order.
For England, there isn’t anything other than pride to play for. They have looked toothless, error-prone, and without a clear idea of how to win ODI games. They have had a couple of terrific performances thanks to Ben Duckett and Joe Root’s fine centuries, but there are more questions than solutions present in this team. This match will be the last chance for a lot of these players — Phil Salt, Liam Livingstone prime amongst them — to stake a claim for the long-term future of this English ODI team, otherwise they will fall victim to the upcoming major reset that English cricket must take.
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Mar 1, 2025 12:10 PM IST
South Africa vs England Live Score, ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Jos Buttler announced that he will step down from white ball captaincy, succinctly stating he isn’t sure if he is part of England’s solution of the future, or just a problem in their present.
Buttler will also be aware of how his batting has suffered with the pressure of captaincy, and with some freedom and a nothing-to-lose frame of mind, we could see one of the most entertaining players of this generation really shine today.
Mar 1, 2025 12:00 PM IST
South Africa vs England Live Score, ICC Champions Trophy 2025: One question the Proteas will have to ask is what they will do to the batting order to accomodate Klaasen back in. Rickelton’s century surely makes him a set pick, so does Tony de Zorzi sit out and allow Bavuma to come to open the batting? Worth keeping an eye on what decision is made.
Mar 1, 2025 11:50 AM IST
South Africa vs England Live Score, ICC Champions Trophy 2025: One of the world’s best bowlers, against one of the world’s best batters, and both leading their team in those respective departments. Root is in strong touch, having batted well both times for England, but Rabada is always up for the challenge and capable of creating havoc. Certainly the matchup to keep an eye on today.
Mar 1, 2025 11:40 AM IST
South Africa vs England Live Score, ICC Champions Trophy 2025: There will be many questions asked internally about the state of this England team. It’s not that they’ve been very far off finding results in this tournament, but finding the extra inch to go on and win has been missing. They will want some optimism and positivity to take away from this tournament, and a win over one of the stronger teams in the tournament could do just that.
Mar 1, 2025 11:30 AM IST
South Africa vs England Live Score, ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Regardless, Temba Bavuma’s team won’t be too concerned by concern of getting knocked out of this tournament. They will play the same good smart cricket, and do start off in this match as favourites to go through top.
It will be as much about match practice as anything else, with their game against Australia being a washout.
Mar 1, 2025 11:20 AM IST
South Africa vs England Live Score, ICC Champions Trophy 2025: It’s an outside chance — and with the way England is playing, an extremely unlikely outside chance — but Afghanistan still technically are in the hunt.
They would need England to beat South Africa by 207 runs, or a by an equivalent heavy margin while chasing. Is that a bet you would take? You have to wonder what the Afghanistan camp is thinking after yesterday’s washout.
Mar 1, 2025 11:10 AM IST
South Africa vs England Live Score, ICC Champions Trophy 2025: After Australia vs Afghanistan rained out yesterday, the Group B table is more or less settled as well.
Australia qualify on 4 points, while England bring up the bottom on 0. In the middle, both South Africa and Afghanistan sit on 3 points, but with the Proteas on a significantly healthier NRR.
1
4Points
2Played
2Won
+0.863NRR
2
4Points
2Played
2Won
+0.647NRR
3
1Points
3Played
0Won
-0.443NRR
4
1Points
3Played
0Won
-1.087NRR
Mar 1, 2025 10:59 AM IST
South Africa vs England Live Score, ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Welcome back to our coverage of the Champions Trophy, where today Group B will be wrapped up as South Africa take on England. Two teams on differing paths, but so much at stake for the tournament from this point forward.
