England suffered a dismal seven-wicket defeat to South Africa in their final Champions Trophy match, concluding their tournament with three losses. Jos Buttler, in his last match as captain, saw his team bowled out for just 179 runs. South Africa chased down the target comfortably, securing their spot in the semi-finals.
England’s participation in the ICC Champions Trophy concluded with a disappointing seven-wicket defeat to South Africa in Karachi, marking Jos Buttler’s last match as captain. Batting first after winning the toss, England was unable to withstand the South African bowling attack and was all out for a mere 179 runs with 12 overs remaining. The English batting lineup faltered early, collapsing to 37-3 in the powerplay, before losing their last three wickets for just eight runs.
Joe Root managed to score 37 runs, England’s highest in the match, as he and Harry Brook (19) warmed up the innings with a partnership of 62 runs. However, South Africa swiftly turned the tide, securing crucial wickets, highlighted by sharp fielding from Lungi Ngidi and Marco Jansen, which ultimately led to England’s early exit from the tournament with three defeats in three games.
In response to England’s total, Jofra Archer made an early impact by dismissing both Ryan Rickelton (27) and Tristan Stubbs (0). Nevertheless, Heinrich Klaasen (64) and Rassie van der Dussen (72 not out) forged a commanding 127-run partnership. Despite losing Klaasen to Adil Rashid, South Africa comfortably chased down the target, requiring only six more runs from 128 balls, with David Miller hitting a six to seal the victory.
This defeat sees South Africa top Group B with five points, propelling them into the semi-finals where they will face the winner of Group A. The conclusion of the group stage also dictates that South Africa and Australia must travel to Dubai for their respective matches, while England finishes at the bottom of the group after losing all their games. The fate of who will join South Africa is yet to be determined as India faces New Zealand on Sunday, in their final group stage match.
In summary, England’s campaign in the ICC Champions Trophy ended in disappointment, with a notable seven-wicket loss to South Africa in Karachi. Jos Buttler’s final match as captain saw the team bowled out for 179 runs, leading to a win for South Africa. With this result, England finished last in Group B, concluding their tournament involvement without a single victory.
Original Source: www.skysports.com
