South Africa storm into semis, end England's miserable Champions Trophy campaign

South Africa secured a spot in the Champions Trophy semi-final with a commanding seven-wicket win over a dispirited English side in Karachi on Saturday.

Chasing a modest target of 180, the Proteas rode on half centuries from Heinrich Klaasen and Rassie van der Dussen to ease past a struggling England side, reaching the finish line with 125 balls to spare.

The duo put on a match-winning 127-run stand for the third wicket after early blows in the chase. Much like their campaign, England's attack lacked bite and never looked capable of defending the total, despite a fiery start from Jofra Archer.

With this victory, South Africa has topped the Group B and will be looking for a semi-final clash against either India or New Zealand.

England’s “pretty poor” campaign

“It’s obviously very disappointing,” England coach Brendon McCullum said in the post-match press conference in Karachi. “We had high hopes (of) being able to finish the tournament with a bit of a bang but we were very poor and we have got a lot of work to do.”

The match marked the end of Jos Buttler’s tenure as England’s white-ball captain. Having already announced his resignation following England’s group-stage exit, he signed off with an underwhelming 21 off 34 balls.

The batter’s struggles mirrored England’s broader decline in ODIs since their 2019 World Cup triumph, as they finished the tournament winless and devoid of direction.

Buttler’s leadership, which saw England lift the 2022 T20 World Cup, has been overshadowed by their recent struggles in both formats. With seven consecutive ODI defeats, including a forgettable Champions Trophy campaign, England will now look to rebuild under new leadership.

Proteas bowlers dominate

Opting to bat first on a surface known for high scores, England with a reckless approach crumbled to 179 all out in 38.2 overs. Joe Root top-scored with 37 while Ben Duckett (24) and Archer (25) chipped in.

However, England never built momentum, with South Africa’s bowlers capitalizing on their desperation.

Wiaan Mulder celebrates after taking a wicket against England in KarachiICC

Marco Jansen (3-30) set the tone early, removing Phil Salt and Jamie Smith in quick succession. Wiaan Mulder (3-25) was equally effective, cleaning up the lower order, while Keshav Maharaj (2-32) kept things tight in the middle overs.

“It was a good team performance, all in all,” Jansen told the media after the match. “As a bowling unit we did the majority. We did what we wanted to do or what we planned to do.”

Growing fitness setbacks

While the win was comprehensive, South Africa were dealt a blow with Aiden Markram suffering a hamstring injury during the match.

With Temba Bavuma and Tony de Zorzi already missing due to illness, their depth was tested but the Proteas responded in style.

With their third consecutive ICC event semi-final secured, South Africa will now turn their focus to the knockouts, where they will look to end their long-standing hunt for an elusive trophy.

Their next challenge will depend on the outcome of Sunday’s clash between India and New Zealand, but after their dominant showing in Karachi, they head into the final stages full of confidence.