Tough task for Proteas in ‘group of death’ at the Champions Trophy

AHMEDABAD, INDIA - NOVEMBER 10: Gerald Coetzee of South Africa celebrates the wicket of Afghanistan's Ikram Alikhil during the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 match between South Africa and Afghanistan at Sardar Patel Stadium on November 10, 2023 in Ahmedabad, India. (Photo by Pankaj Nangia/Gallo Images/Getty Images)

By Keanan Hemmonsbey

16 Feb 2025

South Africa will be looking to capture their second victory in this tournament, which takes place in Pakistan, but they face stiff competition.

The Champions Trophy will be played for the first time since 2017 when the tournament gets under way in Pakistan on Wednesday, 19 February. It’s the only International Cricket Council (ICC) tournament the Proteas have won (in 1998), so the return of what used to be a quadrennial tournament could be a good omen for cricket-loving South Africans.

A unique aspect of the tournament is that its winners are also given the iconic white jackets to wear just before lifting the golden cup.

Despite the continued popularity of the Cricket World Cup as the premier trophy to play for in all formats, the number of one-day internationals (ODIs) played around the world has dwindled as T20 cricket’s trendiness continues to expand.

Between the 2023 World Cup in India and the tri-series against Pakistan and New Zealand in Pakistan, South Africa have only played 12 ODIs. They haven’t played their strongest side during that time either, as coach Rob Walter elected to use bilateral series as an opportunity to expose younger players to the international environment.

Premier fast bowler Kagiso Rabada, for example, has only played two ODIs since the side’s semifinal exit in 2023, both against Pakistan at home in December 2024. His regular opening bowling partner, star all-rounder Marco Jansen, has only played one more match in that time.

Featuring every player who took on Australia in Eden Gardens two years ago, apart from the retired Quinton de Kock and injured Gerald Coetzee, South Africa’s ODI squad is extremely talented. They are, however, severely undercooked in the format.

The Proteas are also trapped in the “group of death” with England, Australia and Afghanistan – each with a realistic chance of going all the way in Pakistan.

India-Pakistan feud

It’s the first time an ICC tournament is being hosted in Pakistan since the 1996 Cricket World Cup, which was co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. However, last-minute adjustments have meant that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will co-host the event.

The Middle Eastern country will only host the matches involving India because of the continuing political strife between India and Pakistan. The two countries are in the same group, but their group-stage match on 23 February will be played at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

The Champions Trophy schedule released by the ICC specifies that “semifinal 1 will involve India if they qualify” and will be played in Dubai, and similarly, “semifinal 2 will involve Pakistan if they qualify”. Lahore has been finalised as the host city for the final, but “if India qualifies for the final it will be played in Dubai”.

India very nearly withdrew from the tournament when it returned to the schedule in 2024, but then the ICC decided to move their matches to the UAE. If the two archrivals meet in the final it will be played at the neutral venue.

Although India have had the better of Pakistan in recent years, Pakistan will be reassured by the fact that the last time the two teams met in the Champions Trophy, in the 2017 final, they left wearing the white jackets.

South Africa’s bowlers

South Africa, who will play all their matches in Pakistan unless they meet India in the knockouts, will be aiming to become only the third side, after India and Australia, to have won multiple Champions Trophy titles.

South Africa’s batters are expected to carry the load, since many bowlers are not on form or injured.

The fastest bowler in the country, Anrich Nortje, was originally named in the 15-player squad before a back injury ruled him out. He was replaced by the second-quickest bowler, Coetzee – a breakout star of the 2023 Cricket World Cup – before a hamstring twinge ruled him out.

Their replacement is Corbin Bosch, who has a heap of speed but often lacks the accuracy and skill of the men he is replacing. Bosch also has a grand total of one ODI cap for the national team in a total of two international matches.

In 32 domestic ODIs, the 30-year-old Bosch has only picked up four wickets or more once, an economy rate just shy of six runs an over. He picks up one wicket for about every 40 runs he concedes.

These numbers don’t make for particularly comforting reading, but Bosch has shown that he is up for the fight at international level, picking up four wickets in his first Test match bowling innings.

He also impressed for MI Cape Town in the SA20 with his deadly high-paced yorkers.

Proteas The Proteas’ Gerald Coetzee celebrates the wicket of Afghanistan’s Ikram Alikhil during their World Cup clash at Sardar Patel Stadium in Ahmedabad, India, on 10 November 2023. (Photo: Pankaj Nangia / Gallo Images / Getty Images)

The batters

On the batting front, the top order, barring one opening spot, picks itself. Skipper Temba Bavuma, who has found runs in the 50-over format hard to find in recent times, will take the opening slot. Who he is paired with will be an interesting decision.

Tony de Zorzi is likely to be the frontrunner. He was Bavuma’s most recent partner against Pakistan and has an ODI average of 41 runs in the 12 matches he has played in the format, including one century (119) and one half-century.

Ryan Rickelton, however, whose statistics aren’t as refined in the format, has been knocking the door down in other formats.

In his last Test innings he scored 259, and in the SA20 he had the most runs per innings with a strike rate of 178.72. His form is hard to ignore, although his ODI statistics are underwhelming, with an average that’s just a smidge over 30.

Rassie van der Dussen, who was South Africa’s best ODI batter between the World Cups from 2019 until 2023, has seen his form in the 50-over format plummet since then. He has not passed 50 in his last 10 innings. Nonetheless, the usually reliable first drop will certainly bat at No 3 throughout the Champions Trophy.

The explosive power of Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller will be next in the batting order, with Rob Walter’s preferred selection of all-rounders – Jansen, Wiaan Mulder and possibly Bosch – to follow.

The temptation might be to extend the batting line-up and add Tristan Stubbs, but it’s not the setup Walter has opted for in the past.

The Champions Trophy is only three weeks long, so the Proteas will need to hit the ground running. Their opening-match showdown against Afghanistan on Friday, 21 February will set the tone for South Africa’s tournament. DM

This story first appeared in our weekly Daily Maverick 168 newspaper, which is available countrywide for R35.

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India-Pakistan feud

South Africa’s bowlers

The batters