South Africa’s Win Over England Secures Semifinal Spot

South Africa has advanced to the semifinals of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, following a decisive seven-wicket victory over England in Lahore. This win not only secured their place in the next stage but also ended Afghanistan’s hopes in the tournament.

In a crucial match held at the iconic stadium in Lahore, South Africa marked their dominance by finishing with a score of 181-3 in just 29.1 overs. This chased down England’s 179 all out in 38.2 overs with ease.

England, having won the toss, opted to bat first. However, their batting lineup struggled significantly as they were unable to gain momentum. Key dismissals came early in the innings with Phil Salt and Jamie Smith scoring only 8 and a duck, respectively. Joe Root was the top scorer for England with a decent 37 off 44 balls. Despite this, England’s batting order crumbled, losing their last seven wickets for just 80 runs. Standout performances from South African bowlers Marco Jansen and Wiaan Mulder, with figures of 3-39 and 3-25, were instrumental in limiting England’s total. Jansen was named Player of the Match for his exceptional performance.

On the other hand, South Africa’s response was anchored by Rassie van der Dussen, who remained unbeaten with 72 runs off 87 balls. A significant partnership between Heinrich Klaasen, who scored 64 runs off 56 balls, and van der Dussen added 127 runs for the third wicket. This assured their comfortable victory, despite Aiden Markram, the stand-in captain, not batting due to a hamstring injury.

With England already out of the tournament following consecutive losses, this match was their last chance to avoid finishing without a win. Jos Buttler, who recently announced he would step down as captain, expressed his disappointment, stating that the team’s performance was not up to the mark.

As the tournament progresses, South Africa joins Australia in advancing from Group B. They will now look forward to their semifinals opponent, which will be determined soon as Australia is set to face either India or New Zealand next.

This victory marks a critical juncture in South Africa’s campaign, boosting their morale as they gear up for the challenging semifinal stage.