South Africa beat England to top Group B
KARACHI: A collective bowling display, complemented by half-centuries from Heinrich Klaasen and Rassie van der Dussen, powered South Africa to a dominant seven-wicket triumph over England in the final Group B fixture of the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 at the National Bank Stadium on Saturday.
Chasing a modest target of 180, the Proteas comfortably sealed victory, losing just three wickets and with 125 balls to spare.
However, their chase began on a shaky note as Jofra Archer struck early, removing openers Tristan Stubbs and Ryan Rickelton during the powerplay, leaving South Africa at 47/2.
Rickelton struck five boundaries in his 25-ball 27 before falling, while Stubbs departed for a five-ball duck.
After the early blows, Klaasen and van der Dussen steadied the innings, forging a match-winning 127-run stand that took South Africa within touching distance of the target. Klaasen was dismissed with just six runs required.
Klaasen’s 64-run knock came off 56 balls and featured 11 boundaries, while van der Dussen remained unbeaten, anchoring the chase with a composed 72 off 87 balls, including six fours and three sixes.
For England, Archer claimed two wickets, and Adil Rashid chipped in with one.
South Africa only needed to avoid a 207-run defeat in this contest to secure a semi-final spot. Their bowlers ensured there was no room for Afghanistan to surpass them in net run rate.
With this win, South Africa and Australia advanced from Group B to the semi-finals.
Earlier, England skipper Jos Buttler’s decision to bat first backfired as his side was bundled out for a paltry 179 in 38.2 overs.
Already out of the semi-final race, the former World Cup winners got off to a dreadful start, with Marco Jansen ripping through their top order and reducing them to 37/3 in 6.4 overs.
With England in deep trouble, the experienced Joe Root joined Harry Brook in an attempt to revive the innings. The pair cautiously put together 62 runs for the fourth wicket before Brook fell to Keshav Maharaj in the 17th over after scoring 19 off 29 balls, including three boundaries.
England’s woes deepened in the very next over as Root, who looked set, was castled by Wiaan Mulder. Root was England’s top scorer with a gritty 37 off 44 balls, laced with four fours and a six.
Captain Buttler, coming in at number six, held firm at one end even as wickets tumbled around him, with England slipping to 129/7 in 25.3 overs.
He found some support in Jofra Archer, and together they added a valuable 42 runs before both fell in quick succession. Archer contributed 25 off 31 balls, while Buttler managed 21 off 43 deliveries.
For South Africa, Jansen and Mulder led the bowling attack with three wickets each, Maharaj bagged two, and Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi took one apiece.
