South Africa ready for Afghanistan challenge in Champions Trophy opener

Captain Temba Bavuma urges team to bring their best against Afghanistan.

Temba Bavuma of South Africa looks on during a nets session at National Stadium during the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in Karachi, Pakistan, on February 20, 2025. Photo by Chris Hyde/ICC

By Yuni Utomo and Adila Ghina

South Africa captain Temba Bavuma has warned that his team must be at their best when they face Afghanistan in their opening match of the ICC Champions Trophy in Karachi on Friday.

The highly anticipated Group B clash marks the first meeting between the two sides since Afghanistan stunned South Africa 2-1 in a one-day international series in Sharjah last September. Bavuma acknowledged that Afghanistan would take confidence from that victory and expects them to be a formidable opponent.

“They are a highly competitive team,” Bavuma said. “They have a lot of experience, with players who have the skill and international pedigree to challenge any side. We have to bring our A-game.”

South Africa seeks redemption after 2023 series defeat

South Africa enters the tournament at full strength, with key players Marco Jansen, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, and Rassie van der Dussen all available. These players had been rested for the recent tri-series in Pakistan, where South Africa suffered losses to both Pakistan and New Zealand.

Despite those setbacks, Bavuma remains confident in his team’s preparation.

“We understand that the Champions Trophy is a little bit different—every game feels like a knockout match,” he said. “Our mindset is to make sure we pitch up and play our best game of cricket. Hopefully, we’ll be playing five games in this tournament, not just three. The key is to win the moments that matter.”

Afghanistan, known for their aggressive style and world-class spin attack, will be eager to prove themselves against a South African side with a history of struggling in high-pressure matches.

South Africa aims to break tournament curse

South Africa’s Champions Trophy campaign will also be an opportunity to shed their reputation for faltering in crucial tournament moments.

The Proteas won the inaugural Champions Trophy—then called the ICC Knock-Out Trophy—in Bangladesh in 1998. However, they have since fallen short in major ICC tournaments, often losing in knockout rounds and earning the unwanted label of “chokers.”

In the 2023 ODI World Cup in India, South Africa suffered a semi-final exit, and they finished as runners-up to India in last year’s T20 World Cup in the United States and the West Indies.

Bavuma, however, dismissed concerns that past failures would impact his team’s mindset.

“There’s no negativity from the fact that we haven’t been able to be successful in past ICC events,” he said. “If anything, there is more positivity and confidence about how far we can go in this tournament.”

Competitive group stage awaits

South Africa’s group includes two more formidable opponents—defending champions Australia and arch-rivals England—ensuring a challenging path to the semi-finals.

Group A consists of hosts Pakistan, India, New Zealand, and Bangladesh. The top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals.

With the Proteas eager to make a deep run in the tournament, their opener against Afghanistan will serve as an early test of their readiness to compete on the world stage. Bavuma and his team will be looking to set the tone with a strong performance, hoping to shake off past disappointments and begin their campaign with a statement victory.