South Africa delivered a commanding performance in their final ICC Champions Trophy 2025 group-stage match, thrashing England by seven wickets at the National Stadium, Karachi. The Proteas comfortably chased down a 179-run target in just 29.1 overs, highlighting England’s ongoing struggles with the bat.
England’s Batting Woes Continue
England’s batting collapse was once again on display as they crumbled for 179 in 38.2 overs. Despite brief resistance from Joe Root (37) and Harry Brook (19), the team never managed to recover from their early setbacks.
🔹 Key moments of England’s innings:
- Phil Salt (8 off 6) fell early, continuing his poor form.
- Ben Duckett (24) and Jamie Smith (0) departed quickly, leaving England struggling at 37/3.
- Root (37) and Brook (19) tried to stabilize, but their 62-run partnership ended prematurely.
- Jos Buttler (21 off 43) looked out of sorts, while Jofra Archer (25 off 43) added some late runs.
Proteas’ Bowlers Dominate
South Africa’s disciplined bowling attack dismantled England with precision.
🔥 Marco Jansen (3/39) ripped through the top order.
🔥 Wiaan Mulder (3/25) cleaned up the middle and lower order.
🔥 Keshav Maharaj (2/35) controlled the middle overs.
🔥 Lungi Ngidi (1/28) picked up his 100th ODI wicket, becoming the second-fastest South African pacer to do so.
South Africa’s Chase: Composed and Clinical
Chasing a modest 179, South Africa’s batting lineup remained unfazed.
🔹 Key highlights:
✔️ Ryan Rickelton (27 off 25) gave a solid start before falling to Archer.
✔️ Tristan Stubbs (0 off 5) failed to contribute, but the Proteas stayed in control.
✔️ Heinrich Klaasen (64 off 56) played a fluent knock.
✔️ Rassie van der Dussen (72 off 89)* anchored the chase.
✔️ David Miller (7 off 10)* provided the finishing touch.
South Africa wrapped up the chase in 29.1 overs, sealing an emphatic victory.
England’s Batting Approach: A Tactical Misfire?
England’s ultra-aggressive white-ball strategy, inspired by Eoin Morgan’s era, has failed in recent tournaments.
📊 England’s Powerplay Struggles Since 2024:
- Attacking shots (51.6%) resulted in frequent collapses (Avg: 27.73).
- Strike rotation (24.5%) was more effective (Avg: 56.33).
- Defensive play (21%) yielded an abysmal average of 7.66.
- First 10-over run rate: 6.07 (third-highest after India & Australia).
- Batting average (29.31)—second lowest among all eight teams, only ahead of Bangladesh.
England’s failure to adapt to conditions raises serious concerns about their ODI future.
What’s Next?
✅ South Africa: Riding high on confidence, the Proteas look like serious title contenders.
❌ England: A major rethink is needed to stay competitive in ODIs.
Final Scorecard:
England – 179 all out in 38.2 overs (Root 37, Duckett 24, Archer 25; Jansen 3/39, Mulder 3/25, Maharaj 2/35)
South Africa – 181/3 in 29.1 overs (Van der Dussen 72, Klaasen 64, Rickelton 27; Archer 2/42, Rashid 1/28*)
🔹 South Africa won by 7 wickets.