SA vs ENG Match Preview- ICC Champions Trophy 2025, Match 11

England's campaign in the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy 2025 will come to an end this week. In their final group game, they will be locking horns against table-toppers South Africa. The final game of the Group B is scheduled to be played at the National Stadium in Karachi on Saturday (March 1).

After suffering losses against Australia and Afghanistan, England have been knocked out of the tournament. On the other hand, South Africa are in contention for a place in the semifinals. So as both the teams prepare for the upcoming game, here is the SA vs ENG match preview.

SA vs ENG Match Preview- ICC Champions Trophy 2025, Match 11:

SA vs ENG, Date and Venue:

The upcoming SA vs ENG match will be played on Saturday (March 1) at the National Stadium in Karachi. The match will be played from 02:30 PM (IST).

Squads:

South Africa:

Ryan Rickelton(w), Tony de Zorzi, Temba Bavuma(c), Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Wiaan Mulder, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Tabraiz Shamsi, Heinrich Klaasen, Tristan Stubbs, Corbin Bosch

England:

Philip Salt, Ben Duckett, Jamie Smith(w), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler(c), Liam Livingstone, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood, Jamie Overton, Rehan Ahmed, Saqib Mahmood, Tom Banton, Gus Atkinson

SA vs ENG key battles:

Ben Duckett vs Kagiso Rabada:

The battle between Kagiso Rabada and Ben Duckett could very well decide the course of the upcoming game between England and South Africa. While England have struggled to do well in recent times, Duckett has continued to impress with the bat.

After scoring the sublime century against Australia, the left-handed batsman got the start against Afghanistan as well. However, he could not convert it into a big score and departed for 38.

Duckett will be keen to end his campaign on a good note and the onus will be on Kagiso Rabada to ensure that the England opener does not inflict too much damage on his team.

Joe Root vs Marco Jansen:

While England have lost both of their games in the ongoing tournament, their ever-reliable batsman Joe Root has had a good campaign with the bat so far. The former England Test captain began his campaign with a 68-run knock against Australia before scoring 120 runs against Afghanistan.

With form on his side, Root will be eyeing another good score and help his team sign off on a winning note. Root is very much capable of spoiling South Africa's party. And the Proteas will be relying on Marco Jansen for the prized scalp of Root.

Temba Bavuma vs Jofra Archer:

With South Africa on the verge of qualifying for the semifinals, the onus will be on their captain Temba Bavuma to lead the team from the front. The right-handed batsman has been in good form in recent times and will be keen to score big in the huge clash for his team.

Bavuma will be looking to give his team a good start with the bat. However, he will have his task cut out against England pace spearhead Jofra Archer. The right-arm pacer picked up the wickets of Travis Head and Rahmanullah Gurbaz with the new game in the previous games and will be eyeing Bavuma's wicket as well.

SA vs ENG Key Players:

SA - Ryan Rickelton, Temba Bavuma, Rassie van der Dussen, Heinrich Klaasen and Kagiso Rabada will be the key players for South Africa.

ENG - Ben Duckett, Joe Root, Jos Buttler, Jamie Overton and Jofra Archer will be the key players for England.

SA vs ENG Weather And Pitch Report:

The weather report for the SA vs ENG game is very promising. The forecast has not predicted any rain in Karachi on the game day. The temperature will be hovering in the 20s throughout the day.

Talking about the pitch, it could offer a fine balance between bat and ball. Even though batsmen are likely to get good assist from the surface, the bowlers are also likely to get enough from the pitch to make an impact in the game.

Conclusion:

The equation is crystal clear for South Africa. They will be desperate to win the game to book their place in the semifinals.

Even if their place in the semifinals is sealed before the game, they would be eyeing a victory to have the momentum with themselves. England, on the other hand, will be keen to end their campaign on a winning note.