Afghanistan Captain Blames Batters for Defeat Against South Africa
The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 has kicked off with a bang, and the first match between Afghanistan and South Africa was no exception. In a thrilling encounter, South Africa emerged victorious, chasing down Afghanistan’s total of 208 with ease. However, it was Afghanistan’s poor batting display that ultimately led to their downfall.
Afghanistan, who were looking to make a strong start to the tournament, were reduced to 89/5 in just 23 overs. Despite Rahmat Shah’s valiant effort of 90 off 92 balls, the team could only manage to post a total of 208 in 43.3 overs. South Africa, on the other hand, cruised to victory, reaching the target with 107 balls to spare.
In the aftermath of the match, Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi admitted that the top-order wasn’t up to the mark. “We didn’t get the start we wanted,” Shahidi said in the post-match press conference. “Our top-order didn’t fire, and that put a lot of pressure on the middle-order. We needed to get a good start to put pressure on the South African bowlers, but unfortunately, that didn’t happen.”
Shahidi also praised South Africa’s bowling attack, saying that they were too good for Afghanistan’s batsmen to handle. “South Africa’s bowling was outstanding,” he said. “They bowled well in partnerships, and their spinners were particularly difficult to face. We struggled to rotate the strike and get boundaries, and that made it difficult for us to get back into the game.”
Afghanistan’s batting woes were evident from the start of the innings. Openers Hazratullah Zazai and Noor Ali Zadran were dismissed cheaply, leaving the middle-order to rebuild. Rahmat Shah and Najibullah Zadran did their best to stabilize the innings, but they were eventually run out and bowled, respectively.
South Africa’s victory was built on the back of a solid batting display. Aiden Markram and Quinton de Kock got the team off to a flying start, putting on 80 runs for the first wicket. The middle-order batsmen also chipped in with useful contributions, ensuring that the team reached the target with ease.
For Afghanistan, the loss will be a setback, especially after the team had shown promise in the build-up to the tournament. The team will now have to regroup and come back stronger in their next match against England.
In the meantime, South Africa will be looking to build on this victory and make a strong statement in the tournament. With a star-studded lineup and a strong bowling attack, they will be one of the teams to beat in the Champions Trophy.
As the tournament progresses, we can expect to see some thrilling encounters and upsets. But for now, Afghanistan will have to lick their wounds and come back stronger, while South Africa will be looking to build on their winning momentum.
