CT 2025: South Africa win toss; opt to bat first against Afghanistan in their opening clash

Karachi [Pakistan], February 21 (ANI): South Africa skipper Temba Bavuma won the toss and opted to bat first in their opening game of the ICC Men's Champions Trophy 2025 campaign against Afghanistan in Karachi on Friday.

South Africa and Afghanistan are placed in Group B along with England and Australia in their group.

"Wickets looks different from how it generally does in Pakistan. Not really sure how it'll react. We have to assess the wicket, hope to get a good score on the board. We have a lot of confidence in our bowling, consistency has been our strength. Just one spinner," South Africa skipper Temba Bavuma noted after winning the Toss.

Wicket-keeper batter Heinrich Klaasen has been ruled out of this match as a precautionary measure due to a left elbow soft tissue injury.

Afghanistan skipper would have done the same.

"If we'd have won the toss, we'd have batted too. We played some quality cricket against SA in Sharjah. We have quality spinners. I will be happy if we start well, and we get early wickets and restrict them going on," Hashmatullah Shahidi said.

Teams:

Afghanistan (Playing XI): Rahmanullah Gurbaz(w), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi(c), Azmatullah Omarzai, Gulbadin Naib, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Noor Ahmad

South Africa (Playing XI): Ryan Rickelton(w), Tony de Zorzi, Temba Bavuma(c), Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi. (ANI)

(The story has come from a syndicated feed and has not been edited by the Tribune Staff.)