Afghanistan vs South Africa Pitch Report: Will rain play a spoilsport in today's Champions Trophy's clash? Here's weather, pitch report

Afghanistan will start their ICC Champions Trophy campaign against South Africa at February 21 at Karachi, followed by matches against England (February 26 at Lahore), and Australia (February 28 at Lahore).

Led by Hashmatullah Shahidi, Afghanistan has developed a reputation for being the surprise package in global tournaments, having impressed in the 2023 ODI World Cup and the 2024 T20 World Cup. Meanwhile, South Africa, captained by Temba Bavuma, boasts a powerful and dynamic batting lineup, making them strong contenders for the title despite recent inconsistencies in form.

Afghanistan and South Africa have faced each other five times in ODIs, with the Proteas leading the head-to-head 3-2. However, Afghanistan made history last year by securing their maiden ODI series win over South Africa, clinching a 2-1 victory in Sharjah.

What is the pitch report?

The National Stadium in Karachi has historically been a batting-friendly venue, and recent matches suggest that trend will continue. While the average first-innings score has been around 240, recent games have seen teams push totals closer to the 300-mark. Notably, Pakistan chased down 350-plus against New Zealand at this very venue.

The pitch is expected to be flat and hard, offering good pace and bounce, making stroke play easier. While fast bowlers might get some assistance with the new ball under lights, the surface is likely to favour batters as the match progresses. Spinners could come into play in the latter half of the innings, as seen in Pakistan’s tournament opener against New Zealand.

Sunny day or rain to play a spoilsport?

According to Accuweather.com, Karachi is expected to witness no rainfall on Friday. Hence, fans can expect to see a full 100 overs of action between South Africa and Afghanistan. However, 88% cloud cover is expected throughout the day at Karachi. Hhence, the match is expected to be played in overcast conditions

Squads:

Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Ikram Alikhil, Gulbadin Naib, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Nangyal Kharoti, Noor Ahmad--, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Farid Malik, Naveed Zadran. Reserves: Darwish Rasooli, Bilal Sami.

Reserves: Darwish Rasooli, Bilal Sami

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

Travelling reserve: Kwena Maphaka