AFG vs SA Match Prediction | 3rd Match

Betting Tips

Afghanistan have improved their ODI performances over the years, particularly in the last couple of years. They have a massive opportunity to take the scalp of South Africa while their opposition are low on form. South Africa will need to adjust to unfamiliar conditions, but will be competitive nonetheless.

Afghanistan vs South Africa Head-to-Head Record

When South Africa travelled to Afghanistan for their previous ODI series against each other, the Afghans won by a margin of two-one to clinch their first ODI series win against the Proteas. In the last five ODI matches between them, South Africa has won three matches and Afghanistan has won two matches.

Afghanistan vs South Africa Live Streaming and Broadcast

Afghanistan and South Africa will play in the third match of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy. The match will take place on Friday, 21 January 2025 at National Stadium, Karachi. Catch the match in India on the Star Sports Network for TV broadcast and Disney+ Hotstar app for live-streaming.

AFG vs SA Team Previews

Afghanistan

Sediqullah Atal is a promising young left-handed batter. Atal has shown potential at the top with his recent knocks in the SA20 with MI Cape Town. He also hit a half-century against Zimbabwe in his previous ODI knock.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz is known for his aggressive style. Gurbaz offers explosive starts and reliable wicketkeeping to make him a dual threat. He was player-of-the-series for 194 runs against South Africa in their previous ODI series against the Proteas. Ibrahim Zadran has a solid technique and reinforces the top order by consistently building partnerships.

Rahmat Shah brings experience and composure. The right-handed batter is adept at navigating challenging situations. He has five ODI centuries and 30 ODI half-centuries. Hashmatullah Shahidi will lead the side.

As a batter, Shahidi's calm demeanour and batting prowess are pivotal to Afghanistan's strategy. The left-hander has an incredible 22 half-centuries in ODIs without a century. Azmatullah Omarzai is a dynamic all-rounder. He was also part of Rashid Khan’s MI Cape Town side which lifted the SA20 trophy. He has over 900 ODI runs and 30 ODI wickets.

Veteran Mohammad Nabi brings invaluable experience, offering off-spin and middle-order batting strength. He has 170 ODI caps, which includes over 3600 ODI runs and over 170 ODI wickets. Rashid Khan is world-renowned as one of the Afghanistan's premier leg-spinners. Khan's wicket-taking ability is a cornerstone of the bowling attack. He also has previous captaincy experience with the national team.

The leg-spinner took three wickets in his previous ODI. Noor Ahmad is a young left-arm wrist-spinner. The youngster provides variety and has shown promise in limited national opportunities. Fazalhaq Farooqi will lead the pace battery. His left-arm seam bowling is crucial, especially in the powerplays and death overs.

Fareed Ahmad is a left-arm fast-medium bowler who adds another left-arm angle to the pace attack and can also swing the ball. The pacer has 25 ODI wickets.

Afghanistan Expected Playing 11

South Africa

Captain Temba Bavuma will lead from the front. Bavuma's strategic acumen and composed batting nails down a firm top order batting combination. He hit 82 runs against Pakistan in the ODI Tri-Nation Series. Left-hander Ryan Rickelton is a promising wicketkeeper-batter.

Rickelton's aggressive stroke play and agility in the field add depth to both the batting lineup and fielding unit. Aiden Markram's versatility with the bat and handy off-spin make him a pivotal member of the group. His contributions can shift the game's momentum. His leadership will also be necessary. Markram guided the team home to a win over Afghanistan with 69 runs unbeaten in the team’s previous ODI match against them.

Continuing into the middle order, Tristan Stubbs will entertain the crowds with his power-hitting. His experience in the Test format also gives him the grounding to play a calm and composed innings if necessary. He has almost 250 runs in ODIs.

Heinrich Klaasen is in red-hot form in white-ball cricket. Klaasen's recent performances have been stellar. These include impressive scores against Pakistan in ODIs (87) and the Joburg Super Kings (76 not out) and MI Cape Town (66) in the SA20. David Miller is a seasoned finishing batter. Miller's left-handed power-hitting is crucial during the death overs to turn the tide in South Africa's favour.

Wiaan Mulder is starting to show his potential as a reliable all-rounder, Mulder's medium pace bowling and steady batting provide balance in the middle phases of the game. He took two wickets in his previous ODI at Karachi. Marco Jansen will literally stand tall in this game.

Jansen's left-arm pace and bounce have troubled the world’s best batters. He can also extract movement in the powerplay. Keshav Maharaj is the team’s lead spinner. The left-arm spinner’s control and guile are essential in containing runs and breaking partnerships during middle overs. He has over 50 wickets in the format internationally which also includes two four-wicket hauls.

Lungi Ngidi returns from injury. The fast bowler’s pace and precision add firepower to the bowling attack. He has four four-wicket hauls and one five-wicket haul in ODIs. Tabraiz Shamsi with his enigmatic left-arm wrist-spin, brings a unique challenge to batters. He is an entertainer when he grabs a cluster of wickets.

South Africa Expected Playing 11

AFG vs SA Toss Prediction

Both captains may prefer to bowl first. In four of the past five matches between these two teams, the team chasing has won.

Pitch and Conditions

The National Stadium in Karachi should provide a batting-friendly surface because of its consistency in pace and bounce. Early in the game with the new ball, fast bowlers may find some assistance before the spinners come into play.

Spinners might extract some turn as the ball ages, but significant turn is unlikely on this surface. The previous first innings score in Karachi before the start of the ICC Champions Trophy was 242 all out in 49.3 overs from Pakistan.

The weather should be partly cloudy throughout the day. Temperatures will almost reach 30 degrees Celsius with a fair amount of humidity too. There is only a five percent chance of rain on matchday.

AFG vs SA Betting Tips

Conditions could be one of the crucial factors deciding this match. Having grown up in Asian pitch conditions, the team may face very few surprises with this pitch. They could be the favourites because of that. They have also won ODIs recently. South Africa may be on the back foot in this game with foreign conditions and struggling for results in its most recent ODIs.

Bet on Afghanistan to win this match.