The match in Karachi will be the Proteas’ opening game of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan, and a strong and positive start will be imperative. In addition to face Afghanistan, the Proteas will also come up against England and Australia in Group B. 

The Proteas will be back at full strength for a change as they begin their final preparations for the tournament they won in 1998. The captain, Temba Bavuma, said that while they’ve had a lean run of late, they were nowhere close to full strength.

“With regards to these previous matches, there hasn’t been much of a discussion about it,” said Bavuma. “Looking at the run that we’ve had to this point, it hasn’t been a case where our full-strength team has been up against the other teams. In saying that, you expect that the guys who have come in are still able to maintain that standard.”

“We need to remind ourselves how we want to play our cricket and back ourselves to play at our best. Our confidence comes from how we have performed as a group of guys who have been with each other for the past four or five years.

“So, I don’t think there is any type of baggage that we are bringing into the tournament, and we are looking forward to playing our best cricket.”

Aiden Markram. Photo: Cricinfo

Players such as David Miller, Aiden Markram, Kagiso Rabada, Marco Jansen, and Tristan Stubbs didn’t compete in the matches against New Zealand and Pakistan last week. They will certainly boost the Proteas going into the ICC’s second-largest 50-over tournament.

On Monday the Proteas will face Shaheen’s XI (Pakistan A) in a warm-up match in Karachi, and this will be the first opportunity for the big guns to hone in on the conditions they will face during the tournament. This is a day-night game and is scheduled to get underway at 11:00.

Friday’s match between South Africa and Afghanistan in Karachi is scheduled to get underway at 11:00.

OFM Sport/Morgan Piek cg