South Africa eye semi-final spot as England look to salvage pride in Karachi

South Africa is ready to take on a wounded English side in a potentially dead-rubber encounter at the National Stadium Karachi on Saturday.

While the Proteas are on the brink of securing a semi-final spot, England are already out of contention, making this contest between a team looking to cement their place in the knockouts and another seeking redemption before their tournament exit.

A win for South Africa will guarantee them a place in the last four, but a loss would leave their fate dependent on net run-rate calculations.

This leaves them in a position where they cannot afford complacency, especially against an England side that has struggled in ODIs but still possesses the ability to spring surprises.

Temba Bavuma and Ryan Rickelton put up a stand against Afghanistan in Karachi AFP

Despite England’s poor form, South Africa coach Rob Walter remains wary of the threat they pose. "I think there's good people there who have done good things in cricket, working with good players, and I would suggest it's only a matter of time before they find success,” Walter told the media in Karachi on Friday.

"What I've learnt in times, you can never judge what's happening with a team unless you're actually walking in the shoes of the people that are on the ground with the team."

England’s downward spiral in the format has been a major talking point, with their latest defeats and now resignation of Jos Buttler as the white-ball captain, further aggravating the concerns.

"I'm going to stand down as England captain. It's the right decision for me and the right decision for the team,” Buttler announced late Friday evening.

“Hopefully somebody else who can come in alongside Baz will take the team to where it needs to be."

The wicket-keeper batter’s resignation marks a significant turning point for England’s limited-overs setup, as they now face a period of transition under uncertain leadership.

Buttler’s side endured a dismal run in recent times, including an underwhelming 2023 ODI World Cup the previous T20 World Cup campaign, a semi-final exit in the previous T20 World Cup, and a 3-0 whitewash in India before this tournament.

With both teams having contrasting objectives, the match promises an intriguing battle. For South Africa, the return of Heinrich Klaasen is a major boost. The wicketkeeper-batsman missed the opening match due to an elbow injury but is set to reclaim his spot in the middle order.

Historically, South Africa have had the upper hand over England in recent encounters. Their most notable triumph came in the 2023 ODI World Cup, where they handed England a crushing 229-run defeat in Mumbai. Additionally, their 2-1 series victory against England in early 2023 marked a turning point in their ODI resurgence.

England’s bowling attack, featuring Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, and Liam Livingstone, will look to test South Africa’s batting depth. Meanwhile, the Proteas will aim to fine-tune their game plan ahead of a likely semi-final, ensuring they head into the knockouts with confidence.

While the stakes are higher for South Africa, England have nothing to lose, making them a dangerous opponent on their day.

Squads:

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

England: Jos Buttler (c), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Tom Banton, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Ben Duckett, Jamie Overton, Jamie Smith, Liam Livingstone, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Saqib Mahmood, Phil Salt, Mark Wood