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CT 2025 Updates: SA thrash Eng, move into semis

Sat, 01 March 2025

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20:42

Van der Dussen, Klaasen hit 50s

SA 181-3 (29.1 ovs) vs Eng 179 | Scorecard

South Africa cruised into the Champions Trophy semifinals in dominant fashion, defeating England by seven wickets to top Group B in Karachi on Saturday.

Opting to bat, England were bundled out for 179 in 38.2 overs as South Africa's bowlers delivered a disciplined performance.

With the modest target ensuring their semifinal berth by the innings break, the Proteas comfortably chased it down in 29.1 overs to finish with five points, two ahead of Australia.

They will now face the Group A runners-up in the semifinals, with India and New Zealand set to battle for Group A placings in Dubai on Sunday.

Rassie van der Dussen anchored the chase with a composed 72 not out off 86 balls (6x4, 3x6), while Heinrich Klaasen, returning from injury, smashed a fluent 64 off 56 balls (11x4) in a 127 run stand.

Livingstone continues and Miller brings up the winning runs with a six down the ground as South Africa thrash England by seven wickets.

Miller is the new man in and he starts the over with a single to the leg side.

A dot to end the over as just the one run and a wicket comes off it.

Rashid continues and Klaasen plays three dots before Klaasen tries to smash, edges it to backward point and he is out for 64 off 56.

Livingstone continues and van der Dussen starts the over with a four past mid-on.

The batters then rotate the strike as 8 come off the over.

Rashid continues and SA now up the ante as van der Dussen smashes the ball for a six!

Three dots and a single to end the over as 7 come off it.

Livingstone continues and after two dots, Klaasen takes a single before van der Dussen dispatches the ball for a six over the deep mid-wicket fence.

A dot later, van der Dussen ends the over with a single as 8 come off it.

Rashid back in the attack and after two dots, van der Dussen lofts him for a six over long on.

Van der Dussen and Klaasen then take a single each.

Van der Dussen then gets to his 50 with a four to deep square leg.

12 come off it.

Liam in the attack now and Klaasen starts the over with a single.

Four dots later, van der Dussen ends the over with a single as 2 come off it.

Archer continues and after a dot, van der Dussen takes a single.

Klaasen then blasts two fours in the over before he takes a single.

Van der Dussen ends the over with a four as 14 come off it.

19:50

SA in control

SA 123-2 (22 ovs) vs Eng 179 | Scorecard

Leggie Rashid is back in the attack and he gives three runs in the over.

Archer back in the attack and van der Dussen starts the over with a single to mid-on.

A dot later, a good length ball on the off stump, Klassen goes on the back foot and punches it past mid-off for a four.

A dot later, Klaasen plays a replica of the earlier shot, this one again is short of length and he goes on the backfoot and drives past mid-off to the boundary to bring up his 50.

A dot to end the over as 9 come off it.

Overton continues and after a dot, van der Dussen takes a single to sweeper cover.

Short ball and Klaasen short arm jabs it over deep square leg for a four.

A dot later, a half volley is driven left off mid-off for a four as 9 come off it.

Rashid continues and five singles come in the over.

19:35

England allowing game to meander along

SA 89-2 (18 ovs) vs Eng 179 | Scorecard

Overton continues and Klaasen plays it straight down the ground.

Overton claims he got a boot to it as the ball hit the stumps at the non-stikers' end. The review shows that ultra edge proves there was no contact between ball and boot. Not out given.

Klaasen then takes a single to sweeper cover.

A dot later, van der Dussen takes a single to deep square leg.

Two dots to end the over as 2 come off it.

Rashid continues and Klaasen and van der Dussen rotate the strike and take 6 runs in the over.

Overton continues and after a dot, Klassen and van der Dussen take a single each before Klaasen meets the ball on the full and caresses the ball through covers for a four.

He then takes a single to covers.

Van der Dussen ends the over with a single to the off side as 8 come off it.

Rashid in the attack after drinks and he starts with a wide down the leg side.

Van der Dussen then takes a single to the leg side off a bye.

Three dots later, Klaasen takes a single to covers.

A dot to end the over as 3 come off it.

19:15

Proteas ticking away

SA 78-2 (14 ovs) vs Eng 179 | Scorecard

Overton continues and van der Dussen starts the over with a quick single to mid-off.

Klaasen then uses his writs and creams it through covers for a four. He then drives the ball to the on side for a dot.

He then plays the ball to another dot. Another dot later, Klaasen tickles the ball past the keeper for a four! 9 come off the over.

Archer continues and van der Dussen starts the over with a single.

A dot later, he bowls a wide.

Klaasen then pulls the ball to deep midwicket for a single.

Two dots later, van der Dussen ends the over with a single as 4 come off it.

Overton is in the attack now and Klaasen starts the over with a single.

A dot later, van der Dussen takes a single to the leg side.

A dot later, short and slow ball and Klaasen latches on to it and pulls it to the leg side for a four.

A dot to end the over. 6 come off it.

Archer continues and he gives just one in the over off a wide.

18:59

Rickelton out but SA on course

SA 58-2 (10 ovs) vs Eng 179 | Scorecard

Mahmood continues and Klaasen starts the over with a single, van der Dussen then tickles the full ball on the pads to fine leg for a four.

Three dots later, van der Dussen ends the over with a single. 6 come off the over.

Klaasen is the new man in and after a dot, he gets off the mark with a lovely drive as he punches the ball through covers for a four to get off the mark.

A single and a dot to end the over as 9 runs and a wicket come off it.

Archer continues and he bowls back of length ball that angles in, Rickelton makes room and cuts it for a four.

Archer strikes next ball, he bowls one that angles in and straigtens to beat Rickelton's outside edge and he is out 27 off 25.

Mahmood continues and Rickelton starts the over with a single to covers.

Two dots later. van der Dussen then drives the ball through mid-off for a four as he latches on to the half-volley.

Two dots to end the over as 5 come off it.

Archer continues and he starts with a yorker that van der Dussen plays to the offside for a single.

A dot later, he bowls a wide to the leg side.

Two dots later, Rickelton takes a single and a dot to end the over as 3 come off it.

18:31

Van der Dussen, Rickelton get the runs

SA 35-1 (6 ovs) vs Eng 179 | Scorecard

Mahmood continues and after a dot, Rickelton plays it back to the bowler who fails to hold on to the return catch.

Short and wide next and Rickelton cuts it away past backward point for a four!

Rickelton then guides the ball to third man for a single.

Fuller ball and van der Dussen plays it to mid-on for a dot.

Archer continues and Rickelton starts the over with a four and a clip off his pads towards deep square leg for a four.

He then gets a single to mid-wicket.

Four singles to end the over as 5 come off it.

Van der Dussen ends the over with a single to third man for a single as 6 runs come off the over.

Mahmood continues and after a dot, short and wide and Rickelton stays back and punches it past cover point for a four!

A dot later, he gets a single.

Archer then bowls a wide.

A dot later, van der Dussen ends the over with a couple to the leg side. 8 come off the over.

18:18

Stubbs out cheaply

SA 16-1 (3 ovs) vs Eng 179 | Scorecard

Rassie van der Dussen is the new man in and he also gets an inside edge first ball on to his pads.

Archer then bowls a wide down the leg side.

Three dots later, van der Dussen is off the mark with a punch through covers as 5 runs and a wicket come off it.

Archer continues and Stubbs chops the ball onto his stumps as he attempted to play it down to third man. He is out for a duck. South Africa lose first wicket.

Mahmood opens at the other end and Rickelton gets off the mark with a couple to the leg side as he went to hit on the off side but inside edges it to the leg side.

A dot to end the over as 6 come in the over.

He then gets a leading edge off the full ball for a four over the bowler.

Rickelton then plays three dots as he plays the balls to the off side.

Rickelton and Stubbs come out to chase 180 while Archer opens the attack for England and comes around the wicket to Rickelton. And after two wides he appeals for an LBW but it was going down leg.

Archer bowls another wide. A dot later. he bowls another wide down the leg side while the batters scamper for a single.

Archer then bowls a dot to Stubbs and another as the batter is happy to just play it to the off side for dots.

Four dots to end the over as 5 come off the opening over.

17:43

England all out for 179

Eng 179 (38.2 ovs) vs SA | Scorecard

South Africa bowlers produced a unified bowling show to bundle out England for 179 in 38.2 overs in their Champions Trophy Group B fixture in Karachi on Saturday.

By virtue of dismissing England under 200, South Africa have qualified for the semi-finals.

Marco Jansen (3/39) took three wickets upfront to reduce England to 37 for three inside seven overs and they failed to stage recovery at any stage in the game.

Joe Root top-scored with 37 but several England batters including skipper Jos Buttler (21), Ben Duckett (24) and even Jofra Archer (25) failed to push on.

Mulder continues and after a dot, Rashid is caught behind and England are all out for 179.

Ngidi continues and Rashid and Mahmood take four runs in the over.

Mulder continues and after three dots, Mahmood takes a single to third man. Two dots to end the over as just a single comes off it.

Mahmood is the last man in after two dots Mahmood takes a single to get off the mark as 3 runs and a wicket come off it.

Ngidi is back in the attack and Buttler and Rashid take a single each.

Ngidi strikes next ball, the slower-ball off-cutter too outside off, it's full, Buttler drives and a thick inside half and he is caught at mid-off. He is out for 21 off 43.

Rashid is the new man in and he plays out a dot as a wicket and 4 runs and a wicket come off it.

Wiaan Mulder back in the attack and Buttler and Archer take three singles each.

A dot and a wide later, Mulder strikes. He bowls a short ball, Archer pulls it flat and Jansen dives low to take a good catch at mid-wicket as Archer is caught out for 25 off 31.

17:09

Scoring in singles and twos

Eng 167-7 (34 ovs) vs SA | Scorecard

Jansen continues and he comes over the wicket to Archer who swipes the ball to backward square leg for a couple.

A dot later, Jansen bowls a wide down the leg side.

Two dots later, he bowls another wide.

A dot later, Archer pulls the ball over the keeper for a four to fine leg as 8 come off it.

Maharaj continues and Buttler starts the over with two dots.

Buttler then swings the full ball and is nearly caught at short cover.

That is a maiden and Maharaj has completed his quota with 2 wickets and 35 runs in his 10 overs.

Jansen continues after drinks and just two singles come in the over.

16:54

England bring up 150

Eng 157-7 (31 ovs) vs SA | Scorecard

Time for drinks now.

South Africa's stand-in skipper is off the field with an injury, Klaasen is in charge now.

The Proteas have kept chipping at the wickets. Buttler and Archer slowly building a partnership.

Maharaj continues and Archer and Buttler bat watchfully as 4 runs come off it.

Rabada continues and Buttler slashes the ball to third man for a single.

Archer then swings and misses. A dot later, Rabada bowls a wide.

Archer then pulls the ball over square leg for a four.

Archer is then hit on the arm as he misses the big hoick.

Another dot to end the over as 6 come off it.

Maharaj continues and Archer starts the over with a single.

Three dots later, Buttler takes a single.

Archer then goes for the sweep, misses, ball hits his pad, big shout, not given and 2 come off the over.

Rabada continues and he starts with a no-ball while Buttler takes a single.

Archer and Buttler then take a single each before Archer flicks the ball over mid-wicket to cow corner for a four!

A dot later, Archer guides the ball down to third man for a four. Jansen tries to stop it with his boot but the ball is in contact with his boot when the shoe is touching the ad boards and boundary given.

Archer ends the over with a flick to deep backward square leg for a single as 13 come off it.

Maharaj continues and he gives three runs in the over as Archer gets off the mark with a single.

16:39

Overton out for 11 off 20

Eng 129-7 (26 ovs) vs SA | Scorecard

Archer is the new man in and he plays out three dots as that is a wicket maiden.

Rabada is back in the attack and after two dots, Rabada strikes and Ngidi takes a brilliant catch running back to have Overton out for 11.

That was a length ball, Overton looks to flick only to get a thick edge that flies up, Ngidi runs back from mid-on and stretches at the last moment to complete a one-handed brilliant catch.

Maharaj continues and after a dot, the short ball, outside off and Overton cuts it past extra cover for a four.

Three dots and a single to end the over as 5 come off it.

Ngidi continues and he mixes his lengths as Overton and Buttler take the singles as 5 runs come off it.

Maharaj continues and just three singles come in the over.

16:21

Maharaj gets his 2nd wicket

Eng 117-6 (22 ovs) vs SA | Scorecard

Ngidi is back in the attack and after a dot, Buttler flicks the ball to mid-wicket for a single.

A dot later, Overton takes a single to deep square leg. Two dots to end the over as 2 come off it.

Overton is the new man in and the full ball hits him at the toe of the bat.

Another dot to end the over as 4 runs and a wicket come off it.

Maharaj continues and Livingstone sweeps it over vacant fine leg for a four.

Two dots later. tossed up ball, slow, Livingstone comes down the track, misses and is stumped out for 9.

Mulder continues and after two dots. Buttler pulls the ball to backward square leg for a single.

Two dots later, Livingstone then takes a single to fine leg off an inside edge as 2 come off it.

Maharaj continues and the batters rotate the strike for 4 runs.

16:16

Maharaj gets his 2nd wicket

Eng 114-6 (21 ovs) vs SA | Scorecard

Overton is the new man in and the full ball hits him at the toe of the bat.

Another dot to end the over as 4 runs and a wicket come off it.

Maharaj continues and Livingstone sweeps it over vacant fine leg for a four.

Two dots later. tossed up ball, slow, Livingstone comes down the track, misses and is stumped out for 9.

Mulder continues and after two dots. Buttler pulls the ball to backward square leg for a single.

Two dots later, Livingstone then takes a single to fine leg off an inside edge as 2 come off it.

Maharaj continues and the batters rotate the strike for 4 runs.

16:05

Maharaj-Jansen combine to remove Brook

Eng 104-5 (18 ovs) vs SA | Scorecard

Livingstone is the new man in and after two dots, gets off the mark with a single as 4 runs and a wicket come off it.

Mulder continues and Buttler starts the over with a single to third man.

Root then gets a couple to the leg side, leg byes called.

Mulder strikes next and Root is castled! Wobble seam, length ball that comes in, Root goes for the swipe, misses and is bowled out for 37 off 44.

Buttler is the new man in and is off the mark with a single. 8 runs and a wicket come off it.

Maharaj continues and Root and Brook start the over with a single each.

Root then plays a superb reverse sweep for a four to third man.

Root attempts another reverse-sweep and it falls just short of the forward-diving Rabada at backward point.

Brook is out next ball as Brook lofts it towards deep mid-wicket, Jansen goes back running, covers a lot of ground and he slides to complete the catch as he keeps his eyes on the ball. Brook is out for 19.

15:54

England rotate the strike

Eng 92-3 (16 ovs) vs SA | Scorecard

Mulder continues and Root starts the over with a single.

Brook then plays three dots. Mulder then bowls a wide bouncer down the leg side. Wide called.

Brook then pulls the ball to the leg side for a single. He then bowls a wide again.

Root takes a single to end the over as 5 come off it.

Left arm spinner Keshav Maharaj in the attack now and after a dot, Brook takes a single.

A dot later, Root drives the ball past cover for a single. That brings up the 50-run stand (off 54 balls) between Root and Brook.

Brook sees off the over safely with two dots as 2 come off it.

15:45

South Africa keep it tight

Eng 85-3 (14 ovs) vs SA | Scorecard

Rabada continues and Root pulls out of his stance twice in the over, not sure exactly why. 3 runs come in the over.

Mulder continues and he gives 5 runs in the over including 2 wides.

Rabada continues and after two dots, Brook gets a single off a leg bye.

Root then takes a single to deep square leg.

Brook then pulls the ball to the leg side for a single.

Next ball is on length, is slower and Root uses his wrists to flick it past mid-wicket for a four. 7 come off the over.

Medium pacer Mulder is in the attack now and after three dots, Root hits the first maximum. short ball and Root swivels to pull over the deep square-leg fielder for a six!

A dot and a couple to end the over as 8 come off it.

15:26

Root, Brook lead Eng fightback

Eng 62-3 (10 ovs) vs SA | Scorecard

Rabada continues and after two dots, Root takes a single to short mid-wicket.

A dot later, Brook comes down and smashes the ball through covers for a four!

A dot to end the over as 5 come off it.

Jansen continues and Root smashes him for two boundaries in the over as 10 runs come off it.

15:20

Jansen takes his third

Eng 47-3 (8 ovs) vs SA | Scorecard

Rabada in the attack now and Root has been dropped first ball of the over as he edges it to slip where Mulder puts it down, Root takes a single.

Brook now is off the mark with a four past backward point.

Back to back fours now as Brook latches on the full ball and creams it through covers to the extra cover boundary.

Three dots to end the over as 9 come off it.

Brook is the new man in and he ducks the bouncer first ball. Wide called by the umpire.

Two dots to end the over as 1 run and a wicket come off it.

Jansen continues and after three dots, length ball on the legs, Duckett goes early on the flick, gets a leading edge, the ball pops up and Jansen completes the catch on his follow through. Duckett is out for 24 off 21.

15:04

England rebuild after early wickets

Eng37-2 (6 ovs) vs SA | Scorecard

Ngidi continues and Root starts with a dot.

Full ball and Root mistimes the drive, ball hits the splice of the bat. No run.

Root then whips the ball to backward square leg for a single.

Full and slow next, Ngidi gets it to grip and bounce. Dot ball.

Full and on middle and leg and Duckett helps it to the leg side for a single.

Nigidi seems to have some problem with his heel. But he continues.

Bowls the next one full and wide and Root creams it straight to the fielder at mid-off for a dot as just 2 come off the over.

Jansen continues and Root takes a single to third man.

Two dots later, full and on the pads and Duckett flicks it through backward square leg for a four.

Duckett then flicks the ball the leg side for a couple. A dot to end the over as 7 come off it.

Ngidi continues and after a dot, full ball on the pads and Duckett flicks the ball fine for a four!

Back of length next and Duckett plays it through point for 3, the fielder does well at the boundary to keep it in and throw it to the bowler's end, no one is at the stumps, Markram runs in and collects the ball and throws it to the stumps, Root was in trouble.

A dot later, Root takes a single. A dot to end the over as 8 come off it.

14:52

Salt, Smith dismissed

Eng 20-2 (3 ovs) vs SA | Scorecard

Root is the new man in and he plays out three dots.

A couple and a wicket come off it.

Jansen continues and he starts with a wide. Duckett then takes a single to the leg side.

Smith then gets an thick edge but falls short off the slips fielder.

Extra bounce for Jansen now, Smith then gets cramped up as he goes for the pull but only gets a top edge and is caught at mid-wicket and he is out for a duck.

Jamie Smith is the new man in.

Ngidi opens at the other end and after a dot, Duckett is off the mark with a four as he flicks it past square leg to the boundary.

A dot later, Duckett flicks it for a four. He then takes a single before Ngidi has Smith beaten all ends up as the ball straightens at the very end. 9 runs come off the over.

Phil Salt and Ben Duckett open the batting for England.

Jansen opens the attack and after a dot, Salt is off the mark with a four over covers.

A wide later, Salt gets his second boundary as he mistimes a shot over mid-wicket, it goes past the fielder and races to the boundary.

A dot later, Salt mistimes a pull, and he is caught at mid-wicket. He is out for 8 as 9 runs and a wicket come off it.

14:11

England eye consolation win

England captain Jos Buttler has won the toss and elected to bat against South Africa in their Champions Trophy Group B match in Karachi on Saturday.

South Africa captain Temba Bavuma and opener Tony de Zorzi are out with injury.

Injured Mark Wood makes way for Saqib Mahmood in the England squad.

The pitch has a few cracks which might help spinners later under lights but it seems like a good batting track.

Playing XIs:

England: Philip Salt, Ben Duckett, Jamie Smith(w), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler(c), Liam Livingstone, Jamie Overton, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Saqib Mahmood

South Africa: Tristan Stubbs, Ryan Rickelton, Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram(c), Heinrich Klaasen(w), David Miller, Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi

As the battle for semi-final berths intensifies in Group B of the Champions Trophy, top-ranked South Africa will aim to assert their dominance and secure a spot in the final four when they meet a struggling England in a high-stakes clash in Karachi on Saturday.

Unlike Group A, where the two best sides -- India and New Zealand -- have sailed into the knock-outs with ease, Australia, Afghanistan and South Africa in Group B are locked in an intense battle for the remaining two semi-final berths.

A crushing eight runs defeat to Afghanistan not only sent England out of semi-final contention but also kept the Asian team's hopes of making it to the final four alive and kept both South Africa and Australia on tenterhooks.

Afghanistan take on Australia on Friday in Lahore riding on the big wave of confidence from their last outing between the two teams in the 50-over format.

The Afghans had pushed Australia to the brink in their last meeting in the 2023 ODI World Cup before Glenn Maxwell's sensational 201 not out turned the tables.

While there are possibilities of the contest being affected by rain, a win for Afghanistan will be enough for them to seal a spot in the semi-final, as Australia's defeat will leave the Steve Smith-led side locked in for a battle with South Africa for the second and final spot from this group.

South Africa (3 points, 2.140 NRR) are likely to progress if Australia (3 points, 0.475 NRR) beat Afghanistan (2 points, -0.990 NRR), even if the Proteas lose to England because of their healthy NRR.

A favourable result should not be too difficult for South Africa, who have all their bases covered; more importantly, their key players are in form compared to a misfiring England, overly dependent on Joe Root.

In their only completed contest so far -- South Africa split points with Australia after a wash-out in Rawalpindi -- the Proteas crushed Afghanistan by a massive 107 runs.

Ryan Rickelton scored a century while skipper Temba Bavuma, Rassie van der Dussen and Aiden Markram hit half centuries each to power South Africa to a formidable 315 for 6 batting first, following which the bowlers produced a unified show to bundle out Afghanistan for a mere 208.

While on-paper, South Africa are a formidable unit and have been the team to beat in recent ICC events, their overall form over the last year or so does not inspire confidence. They lost eight of their last 12 ODIs and won only four since January 2024.

South Africa also failed to make the tri-series final in Pakistan, also involving New Zealand, prior to the Champions Trophy, and Bavuma's team will need to find consistency against a hurting England determined to sign off on a high.

Barring Root, England do not inspire much confidence as they are in the midst of a losing streak which began with a 0-3 hammering by India before the ongoing tournament.

Root's 120 was the only bright spot for England against Afghanistan. He was the only one to convert his start and show promise to do the job for his side, which ideally should have been completed, but the 2019 World Cup winners lacked the gumption.

England, who began the tournament with a defeat to Australia, are likely to go through changes in terms of leadership but before all that unfolds, Jos Buttler would be keen to rally his troops around for one final laugh.

CT 2025 Updates: SA thrash Eng, move into semis

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