Champions Trophy 2025: Afghanistan ready for dream debut vs South Africa

When Afghanistan take the field against South Africa in their first-ever ICC Champions Trophy match on Friday, February 21, at Karachi’s National Stadium, they will be anything but just another minnow in the tournament. Afghanistan outshone former champions West Indies and Sri Lanka to earn their spot in the eight-team tournament, and their performance in recent times, including the last two ICC events, is proof of what this team is capable of. So before the Hashmatullah Shahidi-led men create history against the Proteas, let’s take a look at how they performed in the last two ICC events and see why they are the biggest dark horse of the competition.

 

 

Afghanistan in the 2023 Cricket World Cup 

Afghanistan had a remarkable campaign in the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup, held in India. They showcased significant improvement, pulling off some of the biggest upsets in the tournament. Led by Hashmatullah Shahidi, Afghanistan registered four victories, including wins over former champions England, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. Their disciplined bowling attack, spearheaded by Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, and Fazalhaq Farooqi, troubled top teams, while the batting unit, featuring Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran, provided stability at the top.

 

Despite their strong performances, Afghanistan narrowly missed out on a semi-final spot, finishing sixth in the points table. Their campaign was widely regarded as a sign of their growing stature in world cricket. 

 

Afghanistan in the 2024 T20 World Cup 

After narrowly missing out on a semi-final spot in the 50-over World Cup, Afghanistan entered the 2024 T20 World Cup with a chip on their shoulder to show why they were no longer just a small team to earn easy points against. In the group stage, they beat New Zealand by 84 runs and became the second team after West Indies from their group to book their place in the Super 8.  Check ICC Champions Trophy 2025 points table here

 

The start of their journey in the Super 8 was not ideal, as they lost their first game to the eventual champions India by 47 runs. However, they then went on to hunt down Australia by 21 runs and Bangladesh by 8 runs, entering the semi-finals of an ICC event for the first time ever. 

Check ICC Champions Trophy 2025 full schedule, match timings (IST) here

 

South Africa ended their Cinderella run in the semi-finals by securing an easy nine-wicket win, but by that time, Afghanistan had announced that from this point onwards, they should be considered true contenders in any tournament they play.

 

Why is Afghanistan a true threat in ICC Champions Trophy 2025? 

Since their early days, Afghanistan have been a team with a strong spin attack, but in recent times, their pacers and batters have also levelled up their game thanks to their experience of playing franchise cricket around the globe. But their biggest asset in the Champions Trophy will once again be their spinners, who can prove deadly for any team on the spin-friendly wickets of Pakistan. Add to that their depth in batting, and you have the perfect recipe for a true contender for the trophy in the tournament.  Check latest news on ICC Champions Trophy 2025 here