Ten years and 10 days after suffering perhaps their most chastening one-day defeat of all – a World Cup evisceration by New Zealand that exposed their archaic tactics – England’s ODI team crashed to a new nadir.
True, this defeat in Karachi was nothing like as quick as that afternoon in Wellington. Then, England lost with 226 balls of the scheduled match remaining; here, there were 70 scheduled deliveries left. The modest crowd, too, were far more forgiving than the locals in New Zealand. And yet England’s seven-wicket loss to South Africa embodied – almost as much as that eight-wicket crushing by New Zealand – the desolate state of their ODI side.
Jos Buttler ends his reign with England suffering their seventh consecutive ODI defeat, and 19th loss in their past 26 games. His stint as full-time captain began with triumph in the T20 World Cup Down Under, making England the first men’s side to hold both World Cups simultaneously. It ends with more history, of sorts. For the first time in a global tournament in which they have played more than one match, England failed to win a single game.
On his last day as England captain, Buttler’s misery mirrored his side’s. After hoping that his resignation would leave him newly liberated, Buttler crawled to 21 from 43 balls. Bereft of his timing, he was reduced to trying to marshal the tail after the top order had failed once again. Clinical brutality often characterises Buttler’s batting; here, he succumbed with a meek chip to mid-off. He walked off without having hit a boundary, and after scarcely attempting one.
Tasked with defending an inadequate 179 on a blameless pitch, Buttler was first on to the field, jumping over the boundary rope while wearing the armband for the last time. Clapping his bowlers enthusiastically, and deploying some creative tactics in vain – giving Jofra Archer seven overs with the new ball, and bowling Adil Rashid with seven fielders close-in – Buttler had the air of a man forlornly trying to deny reality.
Perhaps the moment of defeat, sealed when David Miller slammed Liam Livingstone down the ground, will be a mercy. Buttler has given all of himself to the task of being England captain, and been handicapped by an era when the needs of the white-ball side have been subservient to those of the Test team. And for all the recent sense that Buttler’s very international career could be nearing an end, he is only 34. There is still ample time for him to be reinvigorated, and return to being among the most feared limited-overs batsmen in the world.
In Lahore, England were ascendant for vast swathes of their opening match against Australia, and for periods in their second game against Afghanistan. But against South Africa in Karachi, England were floundering from the sixth ball of the game, when Phil Salt top-edged a pull to midwicket. Salt had already struck two boundaries in the over; his frenetic innings encapsulated a side in which too many players are lacking in the vocabulary of the 50-over game.
Brendon McCullum marmalised England in Wellington a decade ago, thrashing 77 in 25 balls as New Zealand chased down their puny target of 124 in 12.2 overs. England’s players walked off to mockery from the hosts, and howls of abuse from travelling supporters. In the dressing room afterwards, one coach, David Saker, was so shellshocked that he sat in the dressing-room on a chair a yard away from the wall, staring at it in disbelief. That defeat, and the entire calamitous 2015 World Cup campaign, was the catalyst for England to reinvigorate their entire white-ball approach.
Now it falls to McCullum to oversee a similarly large rebuild. Appointing a new captain is merely the start.
The presumptive heir, Harry Brook, departs Pakistan having averaged just 15.7 in the Champions Trophy. Each time, his downfall has been the same, dismissed trying to hit spin in the air. In Karachi, at least Brook fell to a stunning catch, with Marco Jansen running 28 metres to deep midwicket to pluck out the ball while falling to his knees. When Joe Root fell in the next over, bowled by a quicker ball from Wiaan Mulder, England were 103-5 in the 18th over.
Already, England were irrevocably hurtling towards familiar woe. When Rashid edged Mulder behind, with 11.4 overs still unused, it was the 25th time in their past 46 games, stretching back to July 2022, that England have been bowled out in an ODI.
The run will bring urges for change, beyond the identity of the captain. Salt, who captained the T20 side last year, now seems vulnerable having mustered only 30 runs in this competition. So does Livingstone. Given an opportunity to build an innings, Livingstone lasted just 15 balls until giving the crafty the charge and being stumped. It extended Livingstone’s malaise in ICC events: he now averages 14.8 in 29 games across global tournaments in the two white-ball formats.
Players and team alike were once again guilty of an absence of strategic thought. Illnesses in the South Africa squad, shorn of captain Temba Bavuma and Tony de Zorzi, meant that their line-up was unusually light on batting: a potential vulnerability that England never hinted at being able to exploit. Once the collapse began, England showed no flexibility. Rashid, the lower-order player best-suited to accumulating against spin and building an extended partnership with Buttler, was not promoted up the order and remained marooned at number 10.
The sight of Archer bowling a hostile new-ball spell – albeit one that included eight wides – fleetingly brought England a little comfort for the challenges that lie ahead. Yet even this solace emphasised England’s plight. Such were their collective failings, England were reduced to seeking comfort in individuals.
England’s Champions Trophy ratings
Brendon McCullum
Picked teams that lacked variety, especially in the bowling attack. The real mistake, perhaps, was not during the tournament but in how England selected their squad before the competition. 4/10
Phil Salt
(30 runs at an average of 10, strike rate 120)
A fine T20 player, but Salt struggled with the tempo of the 50-over game. The dismissal against South Africa was emblematic. Salt had already scored two boundaries in the opening over, yet top-edged it to midwicket in pursuit of a third. 2
Ben Duckett
(227 runs at 75.66, strike rate 109)
Whatever the questions facing England elsewhere, making Duckett their first-choice opener last September has been emphatically vindicated. Magisterial innings against Australia, fusing control with calculated aggression against leg spinner Adam Zampa. 8
Jamie Smith
(24 runs at 8, strike rate 83)
Elevating Smith to number three, where he had never batted before in international cricket, joins England’s list of ill-fated tinkering on the brink of global tournaments. Uncharacteristically jittery with the bat, but kept solidly. 3
Joe Root
(225 runs at 75, strike rate 97, 11 overs, 0-73, economy rate 6.6)
After a six-year wait for an ODI hundred, his 17th century was quite possibly his best yet, almost taking England to victory against Afghanistan. While others struggle to grasp the nuances of the format, Root remains a master of cruising speed, scoring briskly yet minimising risk. Bowled solidly until being forced to fill in at the death against Afghanistan. 8
Harry Brook
(47 runs at 15.66, strike rate 84)
England’s probable next white-ball captain endured a chastening tournament, falling whilst attempting lofted shots against spin early on each innings. Should study how Root bats in the format. 4
Jos Buttler (c)
(82 runs at 27.33, strike rate 77)
Three times made starts; three times failed to make a substantial score. Should bat higher than six under his successor. Captaincy was less to blame than the bowlers at his disposal. 5
Liam Livingstone
(33 runs at 11, strike rate 82. 15.1 overs, 3-99, economy 6.5)
Number seven is a brutal role, but Livingstone also struggled when given far more deliveries than normal. Now averages 10 in nine matches in ODI global events. Aged 31, future is in jeopardy, though his leg spin was handy. 4
Jamie Overton
(43 runs at 21.5, strike rate 90. 15 overs, 1-106, economy 7.1)
Much-vaunted big hitting at No 8 almost secured victory against Afghanistan. While he bowled at good pace, Overton lacked variety. 5
Brydon Carse
(7 overs, 1-69, economy 9.85)
Struggled against Australia, with no back-up plan after his short balls were attacked. Bowled while battling a toe injury, which sent him home early. Now a doubt for the Indian Premier League season. 3
Jofra Archer
(29 overs, 6-201, economy 6.9)
Easily England’s most threatening bowler, bowling three fiery new-ball spells – though he was uncharacteristically wayward at the death. Archer’s batting also gave welcome glimpses of his lower-order threat. 3
Adil Rashid
(27 overs, 3-144, economy 5.3)
The lone Englishman to concede under six an over. Rashid had fine control without quite threatening to break a game open. The seamers’ struggles diminished Rashid’s effectiveness, leaving opponents with less need to attack him in the middle overs. 6
Mark Wood
(17.3 overs, 1-125, economy rate 7.14)
Bowled a terrific new ball spell against Australia, which dismissed Steve Smith and threatened to break open the game. But didn’t take a wicket thereafter, with his back-of-a-length approach too predictable. Worryingly, now faces a scan on his left knee. 5
Saqib Mahmood
(5 overs, 0-31, economy 6.2)
Belatedly given a chance against South Africa, Mahmood didn’t take a wicket with the new ball. 4
03:18 PM GMT
It is sad the Indian Premier League got best of Joe Buttler, not England
Jos Buttler’s career as England’s white-ball captain ended in Karachi in another defeat, so they finished bottom of their Champions Trophy group in what was literally a pointless exercise. The conclusion must be that the finest white-ball batsman England has produced – the pioneer indeed of white-ball hitting – has achieved financial satisfaction, but not professional fulfilment, by devoting his prime to the Indian Premier League.
03:04 PM GMT
Jos Buttler speaks to Michael Atherton at the presentations
A really disappointing performance. We were so far short of the mark there today.
It was a flat surface, a bit two-paced. Root and Duckett got in but we’re just not getting in and making those big, telling contributions with partnerships which has been the story of this side for a while now with the bat.
As a whole group we’re not getting the results, and that affects the confidence. It’s time for everyone to go away and have a change of scene and work hard at their games. From this point forward there’s a big chance for everyone to put their hands up and say they want to be part of the rebuild of these white-ball teams.
The talent is there, Brendon and the guys at the top will, I’m sure, formulate some plans. It has all the makings of a good side but it’s down to individuals to put their hand up and say they want to help take the team back to where we should be.
To be a World Cup-winning captain is an incredibly proud moment and was the best day
Joe’s been a shining light for English cricket throughout and being able to see what he’s done since relinquishing the captaincy, taking his game to new levels – hopefully I can follow his lead, get back to my best form and contribute in the way I want to.
02:49 PM GMT
South Africa win the group
And will play the loser of tomorrow’s match between New Zealand and India; Australia will play the winner. Whoever plays India will do so in Dubai, the New Zealand game will be in Lahore.
02:44 PM GMT
SA win by seven wickets
England go down with a whimper, losing all three matches at the Champions Trophy and with gaping problems to solve in the batting, bowling and fielding.
02:43 PM GMT
OVER 29.1: SA 181/3 (Van der Dussen 72 Miller 7)
Miller smashes the first ball of Livingstone’s fourth over for a towering straight six to win the match by seven wickets with 125 balls to spare.
02:42 PM GMT
OVER 29: SA 175/3 (Van der Dussen 72 Miller 1)
Rashid gets his wicket as Klaasen succumbed to finisher’s fever.
02:39 PM GMT
Wicket!
Klaasen c Mahmood b Rashid 64 Done in the flight as he tried to finish the match by dropping to one knee and aiming for cow corner. Instead he sliced it off the outside quarter of his bat to short third man. FOW 174/3
02:38 PM GMT
OVER 28: SA 174/2 (Van der Dussen 72 Klaasen 64)
All VDD now as he latches on to Livingstone’s drag-down to pull it through mid-on for four, then cuts another for two behind point.
Six to win off 132 balls!
02:37 PM GMT
OVER 27: SA 166/2 (Van der Dussen 65 Klaasen 63)
Van der Dussen overtakes Klaasen by pumping Rashid for six over long on.
02:32 PM GMT
OVER 26: SA 159/2 (Van der Dussen 58 Klaasen 63)
South Africa put the foot down and Livingstone helps with a full toss that slips out. Van der Dussen pummels it for six to cow corner.
02:31 PM GMT
OVER 25: SA 151/2 (Van der Dussen 51 Klaasen 62)
VDD AKA RVD2 does go to town against Rashid, biffing him over long on for six and, after exchanging singles, carting him with a horizontal bat for four.
02:27 PM GMT
OVER 24: SA 139/2 (Van der Dussen 40 Klaasen 61)
Some signs of impatience from Van der Dussen as he tries and fails to take Livingstone down town and sweep him hard. He can’t collar him, though, and they take just the wo singles.
02:23 PM GMT
OVER 23: SA 137/2 (Van der Dussen 39 Klaasen 60)
Klaasen is timing the ball impeccably and pulls a tiring Archer with murderous power for four, uppercuts for another and VDD completes the hat-trick for the over with a flick down to fine leg.
02:21 PM GMT
OVER 22: SA 123/2 (Van der Dussen 34 Klaasen 51)
Rashid changes ends and restricst them to three singles. Come on Jos, bow out with a few overs for yourself. It won’t affect the result.
02:17 PM GMT
OVER 21: SA 120/2 (Van der Dussen 32 Klaasen 50)
Archer wants to leave no overs in the tank and comes back on for Rashid. England have stopped taking wickets in the middle overs and are toiling again here. Klaasen lamps a back-foot punch for four through cover and then another. What a batsman. The second of them brought up his fifty off 41 balls.
02:11 PM GMT
OVER 20: SA 111/2 (Van der Dussen 31 Klaasen 42)
Klaasen should cramped by Overton’s short ball into his body but he is so quick to adjust that he manages to whip his arms through the line to pull hard for four. The last ball of the over is pitched up and Klaasen nails a cover drive for four more.
02:07 PM GMT
OVER 19: SA 102/2 (Van der Dussen 30 Klaasen 34)
Five singles off Rashid as they work the gaps. With no scoreboard pressure or even a cause to rally his team around, Rashid has no extra help.
02:03 PM GMT
OVER 18: SA 97/2 (Van der Dussen 27 Klaasen 32)
Never seen that before. Overton sticks out a boot to stop a straight drive and the ball then hits the non-striker’s stumps, catching Van der Dussen short. Hard to tell if Overton touched that so they use ultra-edge to look for a spike. And there wasn’t one. Dale Steyn asks for HotSpot, too. Long gone, I’m afraid. Buttler bursts out laughing when ultra-edge is shown on the big screen.
01:56 PM GMT
OVER 17: SA 95/2 (Van der Dussen 26 Klaasen 31)
After being stroked around for three singles, Rashid brings long-on up and then tempts Klaasen to drive by tossing one up. He takes it on but it’s slower than he anticipated and he cloths it… just over a scrambling mid-on’s head. They run two.
Video has finally dropped from Archer’s opening spell:
01:53 PM GMT
OVER 16: SA 89/2 (Van der Dussen 24 Klaasen 27)
Klaasen punches a handsome cover drive for four when Overton pitches up on off stump after exchanging singles into the legside with VDD. No wonder Klaasen averages 53 in eight ODIs against England.
01:48 PM GMT
OVER 15: SA 81/2 (Van der Dussen 22 Klaasen 21)
Here’s Adil. And he, too, starts with a wide, the slider to Van der Dussen skidding past his pads. He beats Klaasen once with lack of bounce but there’s not a great deal to work with from the pitch.
01:41 PM GMT
OVER 14: SA 78/2 (Van der Dussen 21 Klaasen 20)
Klaasen smashes a wristy, hockey-style stroke to a wide one outside off from Overton past Buttler at mid-off for four. Fitting that Buttler was beaten as it is his trademark shot.
Klaasen adds another boundary with a tickle off his toes as Overton sprays it across him.
Time for drinks. I prescribe Absinthe.
01:36 PM GMT
OVER 13: SA 69/2 (Van der Dussen 20 Klaasen 12)
Jofra continues for a seventh successive over and, apart from a loopy bouncer called wide, all he concedes are three singles, all pulled.
Amid all this despair the opening spell from Jofra Archer has been encouraging: pace, bounce and genuine hostility. And it’s encouraging, too, that he’s now into his seventh over.
01:31 PM GMT
OVER 12: SA 65/2 (Van der Dussen 18 Klaasen 11)
Jamie Overton is first change. Klaasen pulls for a single and a four, Van der Dussen pulls for a single off a diet of short balls of varuable pace.
01:28 PM GMT
OVER 11: SA 58/2 (Van der Dussen 17 Klaasen 6)
Archer continues despite the end of the first Powerplay and is miffed to have his bouncer called wide. But it did angle down the legside and they have been calling those wide for ages. It’s the only blemish on the over as Archer ends it with figures of 6-0-28-2. Seven of those 28 conceded are wides.
01:23 PM GMT
OVER 10: SA 58/2 (Van der Dussen 17 Klaasen 6)
Mahmood sprays one on to Van der Dussen’s toes and he tickles it fine for four. On comes the groundsman at Saqib’s request halfway through the over to hammer away at the crease in a couple of areas with a lump hammer. How that will stop him slipping, I don’t know.
After a kengthy delay Van der Dussen short-arm pulls uppishly but safely for a single.
01:16 PM GMT
OVER 9: SA 52/2 (Van der Dussen 12 Klaasen 5)
Rickelton retreats to leg to carve a cut for four but Archer bags him next ball. Enter Heinrich Klaasen, the mauler of Mumbai and England stick two men out on the hook.
It’s a bluff, though, as Archer pitches up and the acting captain smears a drive for four through extra-cover.
01:10 PM GMT
Wicket!
Rickelton b Archer 27 Nips back in from round the wicket and kept a wee bit low to knock back middle and leg stump. FOW 47/2
01:10 PM GMT
OVER 8: SA 43/1 (Rickelton 23 Van der Dussen 12)
Saqib skids on a half-volley that invites Veedoubledee to RSVP it by creaming an off-drive for four. They’re building patiently but convincingly.
01:05 PM GMT
OVER 7: SA 38/1 (Rickelton 22 Van der Dussen 8)
Archer surprises Rickelton with a snorter of a bouncer after a couple of back-of-a-length deliveries, beating his hook shot for pace. Two singles come when he pitches up and also his sixth wide.
12:59 PM GMT
OVER 6: SA 32/1 (Rickelton 21 Van der Dussen 7)
Mahmood drops a caught and bowled chance in the follow through. It came at him fast and bursts through his hands to hit him on the chest. It was a good delivery, doing Rickelton off the pitch with nibble away from round the wicket. The left-hander adds insult to injury by thumping the next ball off the back foot for four through point.
12:55 PM GMT
OVER 5: SA 29/1 (Rickelton 16 Van der Dussen 6)
No swing so the ball arrowed into the pads is easy to help round the corner for four. Archer exhales and the floodlights start to come on. Rickelton adds another single with a flick through mid-on before Archer treats Van der Dussen to a jaffa that angles in, hits the seam and nibbles away from the edge.
12:51 PM GMT
OVER 4: SA 24/1 (Rickelton 11 Van der Dussen 6)
Elegant shot from Rickelton, a back-foot punch for four. This pitch is a belter even if it occasionally skids on. Whta a mess England have made of this tournament.
12:45 PM GMT
OVER 3: SA 16/1 (Rickelton 6 Van der Dussen 4)
England call up a short cover and a short mid-off for VDD. Archer bounces him and the ball balloons so high over the right-hander that it becomes his fourth wide.
Van der Dussen exploits the first hint of width to punch four through point.
12:40 PM GMT
Wicket!
Stubbs b Archer 0 We don’t know if Rickelton was troubled by Archer because he couldn’t make him play but Stubbs looked a wee bit unnerved in that first over and now tries to open the face off the back foot with one that kept climbing and it slid off the face after nibbling in and crashed into the stumps. FOW 11/1
12:39 PM GMT
OVER 2: SA 11/0 (Rickelton 6 Stubbs 0)
Mahmood shares new ball duties and Rickelton has trouble with his pace and the sticky pitch at first, miscuing two through mid-on and four down the ground after being hit high on the bat.
Saqib beats him outside off with wobble seam and drags the over back to respectability with four successive dot balls.
12:34 PM GMT
OVER 1: SA 5/0 (Rickelton 0 Stubbs 0)
Archer gets South Africa’s chase going with a wide sprayed down the legside. And then another. The left-handed Rickelton has a waft but can’t reach them. His first legitimate delivery from round the wicket pins the opener above the knee but was always heading down despite the appeals.
A third wide follows the appeal making this at best a nine-ball over. Make that four wides and a 10-ball over. They jog another run from the wide after Smith’s fumble.
Immediately Archer is better at the right-hander, sharp, accurate and angling into his body from a hard length. No runs off the bat but it hardly matters.
12:27 PM GMT
The players are out
And ready to resume.
12:26 PM GMT
Straw clutching
The last time England defended a total of 180 or lower in an ODI that had not been truncated by the weather was 14 years ago at the 2011 World Cup when they made 171 against South Africa and then bowled them out for 165 in Chennai, Stuart Broad taking four for 15.
12:02 PM GMT
The players will now take lunch
And play should resume at about 12.40 GMT.
Nothing to play for, though, as far as Afghanistan are concerned. England did not make enough runs to stop South Africa qualifying for the semi-finals.
12:02 PM GMT
Halfway verdict
Ten years and 10 days since their nadir in Wellington, when they were bowled out for 123 by New Zealand in the World Cup, England mustered an encore for a new generation. The rebuilding job will surely be equally big now. A thrashing beckons here in Karachi.
12:00 PM GMT
England 179 all out
That was hard to watch for England supporters. The team shot themselves in the foot again with some truly terrible batting and hare-brained judgment. It’s the lowest total made by any side in the 2025 Champions Trophy.
‘South Africa blow England away,’ says Ramiz Raja. Aye, well, with England as their accomplices. Seventy balls squandered.
11:57 AM GMT
Wicket!
Rashid c Klaasen b Mulder 2 Feathers an edge through to the keeper. Reverse swing does for him. FOW 179 all out
11:57 AM GMT
OVER 38: ENG 179/9 (Rashid 2 Mahmood 5)
Mahmood adds a third single with a thick edge down to third man and Rashid works another off his pads. Mahmood, one of the few to wear dark gloves to match his pads while his team-mates stick to white, whisks two off his pads and has a couple of big whooshes at fresh air as Ngidi still strives for that 100th wicket.
The wheels have often come off in spectacular fashion for England in dead rubbers over the years, in Tests as well as ODIs.
11:53 AM GMT
OVER 37: ENG 175/9 (Rashid 1 Mahmood 2)
Winning first-innings scores in ODIs at Jarachi since they relaid the pitch are 352, 320 and 315. England are woefully short. Mahmood and Rashid get in line.
Given that South Africa would have to lose by 200 runs to let Afghanistan pip them to a semi-final place, England have done the Afghans up like a kipper here.
Perhaps this is an apt finale, a new nadir, for a truly rotten tour of India and Pakistan from which nothing positive has been learnt give we already knew Duckett and Root could bat.
11:45 AM GMT
Wicket!
Buttler c Maharaj b Ngidi 21 Captain goes down with his ship, chipping a slower ball low to mid-off to mercy kill a scratchy innings and a patchy reign. FOW 173/9
11:43 AM GMT
OVER 35: ENG 171/8 (Buttler 20 Rashid 0)
Mulder replaces Maharaj and Buttler drives the first for a single, Archer the second for another with a midwicket-flick. Buttler mistimes his shot to the slower ball and wears it jarringly on the splice but manages still to cuff it down for a single which he jogs moments after his agonised ‘Oof!’
Another ‘Oof!’ would have accompanied Archer’s dismissal, caught stunningly low by the tall Jansen with a headlong dive to end a 42-run stand.
11:40 AM GMT
Wicket!
Archer c Jansen b Mulder 25 Another fine diving catch by the giraffe at midwicket after Archer flicked across the line. FOW 171/8
11:37 AM GMT
OVER 34: ENG 167/7 (Buttler 18 Archer 24)
Marco Jansen, 2.06m tall in new money, continues and Archer flicks him fine for two, watches two wides drift down the legside and almost wears one when duck-hooking but was saved by the splice. Jansen, seeing his discomfort, goes for another bouncer and Archer gloves this one over the keeper for four while attempting to pull.
What a terrific spell from Keshav Maharaj: two for 35, bowling his 10 overs straight through. A left-arm spinner, of course, is just one of the types of players that this England ODI side lack.
11:31 AM GMT
OVER 33: ENG 159/7 (Buttler 18 Archer 18)
Maharaj finishes with a maiden to end with 10-1-35-2. Left-arm spin has long been England’s white-ball kryptonite.
11:30 AM GMT
OVER 32: ENG 159/7 (Buttler 18 Archer 18)
Jansen returns and the trickle of runs slows to two singles off the over as Archer pulls the bouncer from the 6ft 9in Jansen and Buttler gets up on his toes to slap another.
11:27 AM GMT
OVER 31: ENG 157/7 (Buttler 17 Archer 17)
England take a two and two singles off Maharaj who reels off a ninth over in succession.
Aiden Markram has twanged his hamstring and the stand-in captain has a stand-in, Heinrich Klaasen. He will bat only of required, says Cricket South Africa.
11:21 AM GMT
OVER 30: ENG 153/7 (Buttler 14 Archer 16)
Rabada punishes Archer for pulling him for four with a quick one that smashes into his left foreram as he goes again.
11:19 AM GMT
OVER 29: ENG 147/7 (Buttler 13 Archer 12)
Man for man and since time immemorial, South Africans field like demons. Smart work in the infield keeps England down to two singles off Maharaj’s eighth over. Looks like he might bowl through, having taken two for 31 so far.
11:15 AM GMT
OVER 28: ENG 145/7 (Buttler 12 Archer 11)
Rabada oversteps to give Archer a free-hit and the South Africa quick targets Archer’s legs. The England quick wears the low, spearing full toss painfully on the foot via the inside edge and runs a single but gets some revenge a couple of balls alter by opening his stance to flay for four over midwicket.
Archer waits for the slow bouncer and gets up en pointe to cut for four after a TV umpire intervention. Jansen had stopped it initially with his instep but it transpired his foot had simultaneously trodden on the cushion as he ran round.
11:08 AM GMT
OVER 27: ENG 132/7 (Buttler 10 Archer 1)
What have England done wrong today, Shaun pollock is asked. ‘Donations of wickets,’ he says.
Buttler clubs a single to the cover sweeper, Archer taps another down to long on and Buttler ends the over by moving into double figures with a hands-only whip to long on.
11:05 AM GMT
OVER 26: ENG 129/7 (Buttler 8 Archer 0)
Captain, your ship is sinking.
11:03 AM GMT
Wicket!
Overton c Ngidi b Rabada 11 Another fabulous catch. Overton tried to walk across and flick it over midwicket but closed the face too soon and spooned it high over mid-on. Ngidi made 12m heading towards the boundary then dived to hang on one-handed. FOW 129/7
11:02 AM GMT
OVER 25: ENG 129/6 (Buttler 8 Overton 11)
Width for Overton to work with and he carves a cut off Maharaj’s drag-down for four. Four dot balls follow until Overton closes the face to work a strike-farming single into the onside.
10:57 AM GMT
OVER 24: ENG 124/6 (Buttler 8 Overton 6)
Overton uses Nigidi’s offside width to clip a single through cover and Buttler goes straighter but can’t beat mid-off’s dive which saves three runs. That was an off-cutter as is the next ball Overton scores off, waiting to whisk it through midwicket. Buttler squeezes a fourth single off his pads and Overton ends the over with a big stride down to flick it to the cow corner sweeper.
More care has to be taken in ODI cricket for a batters wicket.
To say it’s an extension of a T20 and you can swing like a rusty gate is utter BS!— Kevin Pietersen
(@KP24) March 1, 2025
10:52 AM GMT
OVER 23: ENG 119/6 (Buttler 6 Overton 3)
These two Cidermen, together early again, work Maharaj around for three singles.
Utterly dreadful from England this – Liam Livingstone is among those who will fear for their limited overs futures. And a tiny tactical question now. This is the sort of situation when England could promote Adil Rashid, who is very adept at working the ball around. Still, that’s a long way down England’s problems.
10:50 AM GMT
OVER 22: ENG 116/6 (Buttler 5 Overton 1)
Lungi Ngidi, who has 99 ODI wickets but went off after what looked like a hamstring strain after his opening spell, comes back into the attack and starts by conceding only two runs as he angles it into the right-handers’ pads.
10:47 AM GMT
OVER 21: ENG 114/6 (Buttler 4 Overton 0)
To be fair to Maharaj that was a fine delivery, setting him up by bowling slower and slower until he diddles him in the flight with his arm ball. To be fair to Livingstone, that was a terrible shot, the result of poor thinking.
Overton survives being out for a golden duck via a thin inside edge when also beaten by Maharaj’s slider in the flight.
10:43 AM GMT
Wicket!
Livingstone st Klaasen b Maharaj 9 Charges down, yorks himself and gives Klaasen about half an hour to whip off the bails. Pathetic. FOW 114/6
10:42 AM GMT
OVER 20: ENG 110/5 (Buttler 4 Livingstone 5)
The ICC has adopted some Ryder Cup style ident music, all horns. Very American.
Mulder is staying on for a fifth over in the spell. England, caught in no man’s land with only the bowling all-rounders to come, take two singles, the last of them from Livingstone’s streaky Harrow drive off the inside edge past leg stump.
10:38 AM GMT
OVER 19: ENG 108/5 (Buttler 3 Livingstone 4)
Livingstone shuffles back to Maharaj to drive to long on for a single, Buttler does the same and then Livingstone nicks flashily just past a diving slip to take two, jammily. England are under the pump here because they squandered too many resources early – Salt and Smith out slogging and Brook, as so often on this tour, a proper half-a-job Harry having laid the foundations of a rebuild.
10:35 AM GMT
OVER 18: ENG 104/5 (Buttler 2 Livingstone 1)
Shall we have a sweepstake for how many overs England will bat? Thirty? Livingstone gets off the mark with a Rootesque glide down to third man. Livingstone can bat but rarely grasps the nettle of a long innings.
10:29 AM GMT
Wicket!
Root b Mulder 37 South Africa have been bowling very straight to Root and Mulder angled one in to him that he tried to flick to leg, walked across, played all around it with his bat and the ball clipped his pad to cannon into off and middle. FOW 103/5
10:29 AM GMT
OVER 17: ENG 100/4 (Root 37 Buttler 1)
The cutest of reverse-swept fours by Root is followed by another not so well executed that pops the ball inches short of the diving Rabada at backward point. South Africa’s disappointment lasts only a ball as Brook is snaffled in the deep after Jansen made 28 metres and slid on is knees to hang on to a steepler.
Very controlled fourth wicket stand, with the 50 coming up in just 52 balls. Exactly what England required, and have lacked too often in this competition. Harry Brook was building nicely, then succumbed to a brilliant catch at cow corner; once again, England have far more time than they’ve realised. You suspect 330 or so is par here.
10:25 AM GMT
Wicket!
Brook c Jansen b Maharaj 19 Superb running, sliding catch in the deep after Brook swings for cow corner and plinks it high and 10m short of the midwicket boundary. FOW 99/4
10:22 AM GMT
OVER 16: ENG 92/3 (Root 31 Brook 18)
Mulder continues, hitting a heavy length, sometimes sticking, sometimes skidding, sometimes coming on. It messes with the timing and England add three singles and a couple of wides to the total.
10:19 AM GMT
OVER 15: ENG 87/3 (Root 29 Brook 17)
South Africa have bee n given an unofficial reminder about their crawling over-rate and have responded by turning to Maharaj who rattles through his first over, Jadeja-style, at the cost of only two singles, Brook’s whisked off his pads, Root’s pinged through cover on the drive to raise the 50 partnership off 54 balls.
10:12 AM GMT
OVER 14: ENG 85/3 (Root 28 Brook 16)
Brook channels Root by opening the face to glide a single down to third man, Root whisks one off his pads and Brook picks the slower ball and pats it round the corner for another.
For the third time this morning Root pulls away with the bowler barely two strides away from releasing the ball. Doesn’t seem to be a problem with the sightscreen. Nasser Hussain thinks it might be birds.
Time for drinks.
10:08 AM GMT
OVER 13: ENG 82/3 (Root 27 Brook 14)
Mulder strays to middle and leg… and beyond, costing himself a couple of wides and leg-byes.
Root, closing in on Morgan’s record for ODI runs for England, now needing 80 or so more, has an average of almost nine runs more.
10:03 AM GMT
OVER 12: ENG 77/3 (Root 27 Brook 13)
Rabada surprises Brook with some bite and lift and the right-hander raises his hands to his throat to fend it away off the glove and about a metre short of backward point.
Brook rolls his wrists on a pull for a single and Root rotates that bottom hand with a stirring motion to cuff a single and then a four through midwicket.
09:59 AM GMT
OVER 11: ENG 70/3 (Root 22 Brook 12)
The first powerplay ends with one half of England’s score looking more respectable than the other. Markram makes his second change, turning to Wiaan Mulder, the bustling right-arm quick. The first delivery jags into Root’s pads and Mulder appeals but the batsman was a good stride down… and hit high. The next ball skids through as Root is cramped on the pull. There’s a noise but no appeal… it transpires it hit his trouser pocket on the way through. Sticking with this back of a length strategy Mulder has given Root enough time to measure him up and he shuffles back in his crease to cart a six high over midwicket.
The punishment persuades Mulder to pitch it up and Root punches a drive for two.
09:53 AM GMT
OVER 10: ENG 62/3 (Root 14 Brook 12)
Brook takes to the dancefloor, advances two strides and harpoons a cover drive for four. Next ball he tries it again as well as retreating to the legside and Rabada sees his feet move early so arrows it into his legs. Brook has a swing and a miss. They are blocking his options square of the wicket so is using his feet to try to break the manacles.
09:50 AM GMT
OVER 9: ENG 57/3 (Root 13 Brook 8)
Majestic from Root off Jansen, a textbook off drive for four, glorious followthrough, and then a pull clobbered hard when Jansen tried to cramp him with one into the body.
England have never gone winless in an ICC event in which they have played more than one game. Ominous signs this will be the first time, with both Phil Salt and Jamie Smith failing for the third consecutive time this competition. Once again, England are dependent on Joe Root.
09:46 AM GMT
OVER 8: ENG 47/3 (Root 4 Brook 8)
Rabada replaces Ngidi and almost takes a wicket first ball when Root late cuts and the ball bursts through backward point’s hands. A very hard chance for Mulder and they run a single. Brook gets weaving with a pair of fours, as handsome as you like, square drives in front of and behind point. He looks a million dollars… as usual.
09:40 AM GMT
OVER 7: ENG 38/3 (Root 3 Brook 0)
It has not gone unnoticed that all England’s wickets have fallen to a left-arm quick while Sam Curran and Reece Topley have been discarded for not being 88mph merchants.
A maiden for Jansen save for the bouncer with which he greeted Brook that sailed over his head and was called wide.
Jansen’s figures are 4-0-19-3.
09:35 AM GMT
Wicket!
Duckett c&b Jansen 24 The ball sticks in the pitch a touch and Duckett, trying to flick it to leg, spoons a return catch off the leading edge having closed the face too soon. FOW 37/3
09:33 AM GMT
OVER 6: ENG 37/2 (Duckett 24 Root 3)
Much better from Ngidi, tightening his line outside off to Root and cramping the left-handed Duckett for room. Root gets away after two dot balls with a tuck off his hip for a single, Duckett does similar for the same return.
09:30 AM GMT
OVER 5: ENG 35/2 (Duckett 23 Root 2)
While Duckett and Root are there, I suppose there is still hope and Duckett continues his rich vein of form with another four, flicked off middle and leg, and then works two off Jansen through mid-on which forces Markram to take the slips out to fill the onside gaps.
Salt’s ODI scores in the tournament: 10, 12, 8
Smith’s scores in the tournament: 15, 9, 0.
09:25 AM GMT
OVER 4: ENG 28/2 (Duckett 17 Root 1)
Duckett tickles four off Ngidi off his pads but then Duckett almost runs himself out by coming back for a third not at full pelt when slapping the ball through point. Ngidi, too busy double teapotting five yards down at the misfield from point, didn’t get back to the non-striker’s where he would have been able to take Stubbs’ throw and remove the bassl with Dickett three yards short.
Root gets off the mark with a slash outside off that third man takes on the bounce and hurls back in.
Not usually one to criticise too indiscriminately but having covered the three ODI defeats in India and the two so far here… there’s only so much a chap can take….
09:20 AM GMT
OVER 3: ENG 20/2 (Duckett 10 Root 0)
Smith has had glowing write-ups for his potential and progression but my word he’s had a shocking tournament. As if he left his brain at home.
Enter Root early for the third time in three matches. England could be home by tonight at this rate. Unless, and here’s a cheap shot, they’ve got a round of golf booked for tomorrow.
09:15 AM GMT
Wicket!
Smith c Markram b Jansen 0 Must be desperate to get on the plane as he could not even come up with an innovative way to get out, falling in exactly the same fashion as Salt, splicing a pull high, this time to mid-on. Their batting isn’t irresponsible. It’s negligent. FOW 20/2
09:12 AM GMT
OVER 2: ENG 18/1 (Duckett 9 Smith 0)
Lungi Ngidi shares new ball duties, Duckett defends the first then cuffs two fours off straight ones, flicking his wrists, in front of square leg. South Africa plug that gap with a field change and hence Duckett can take only a single from his third leg glance.
Ngidi looks far more nagging against the right-handed Smith, persuading one to nip away and whistle past the keeper-batsman’s edge.
09:09 AM GMT
OVER 1: ENG 9/1 (Duckett 0 Smith 0)
Marco Jansen, left-arm over, starts with some handsome shape into Salt who jabs a defensive stroke back down the pitch. Jansen then slips in his action and sprays the next delivery too wide and Salt climbs into it to smack it over cover for four. Maybe he didn’t slip as Jansen’s next two deliveries are wide too, one of them called wide, as if his wrist has gone. Salt has big yahoos at both bit can’t reach them then shovels four through midwicket quite riskily off the splice, just out of reach of the man in the ring.
Having gleaned nine off the over Salt ends it brainlessly, holing out to midwicket. He just isn’t suited to this format and seems to be being egged on to bat with such irresponsibility.
09:06 AM GMT
Wicket!
Salt c Van der Dussen b Jansen 8 Cloths a pull off the splice straight up in the air and midwicket stands still to catch it. If you’re not slapping your forehead it must be because you’ve already given up. FOW 9/1
08:58 AM GMT
The players are out
Anthems have been sung. England’s openers are popping back into the hutch to fetch their bats and we will start in a couple of minutes.
08:42 AM GMT
The teams
England Salt, Duckett, Smith (wk), Root, Brook, Buttler (capt), Livingstone, Overton, Archer, Rashid, Mahmood.
South Africa Stubbs, Rickleton, Van der Dussen, Markram (capt), Klaasen (wk), Miller, Mulder, Jansen, Maharaj, Rabada, Ngidi.
08:35 AM GMT
One change for England
Saqib Mahmood comes in for the injured Mark Wood.
South Africa’s captain Temba Bavuma and the dashing opener Tony de Zorzi are ill and Aiden Markram will lead the side in Bavuma’s absence.
Jos Buttler appeared in good spirits on the ground this morning, chatting happily with opponents as he shadow-batted in the middle. Hopefully he bats like a man with a lighter load now.
Saqib Mahmood in for Mark Wood in England’s only charge. We wait to see how serious Wood’s injury is; he will have a scan on his left knee when he returns home. But it feels like a big missed opportunity not to give Rehan Ahmed a game for the first time in an ICC event.
08:34 AM GMT
Jos Buttler wins the toss
And England will bat first.
Buttler on standing down:
It felt like the right time. No need to wait around, saves you guts guessing when I’m going to get sacked. Bring some clarity. Many conflicting emotions, a bit of sadness. It’s not panned out how I’d like it to but it’s been a great honour.
08:33 AM GMT
A suitably gloomy montage
Of England dismissals starts Sky Sports’ coverage of the match, Messrs Buttler, Brook, Salt and Smith trudging off against Afghanistan and Australia.
A very bright and warm day at Karachi with no b—– in the stands.
08:20 AM GMT
Preview: Green shoots or deja vu?
Good morning and welcome to live coverage of England’s last match in the 2025 Champions Trophy before going home after defeats by Australia and Afghanistan, matches which were close at times but were taken away by finer innings and a broader degree of variation in the bowling. Today they take on South Africa who are sitting in second after a win and a washout, ahead of Afghanistan on net run rate to the tune of three, a situation only a phenomenal trouncing by Jos Buttler, in his final bow as captain, and his side could ruin.
England fans will be focusing on green shoots, whether Brendon McCullum, forced into changes by injuries in his bowling attack, opts for something different to three right-arm seamers and two part-time spinners plus the mighty Adil Rashid. or doubles down on his rocket science. Similarly one would hope that Phil Salt and Liam livingstone can recapture the form of late 2024 with the bat in this format, Harry Brook can stroke his way out of his slump, Jamie Smith can adapt and pace an innings, Buttler’s cares are washed away and Joe Root and Ben Duckett continue to demonstrate their class.
South Africa were excellent in their opening defeat of Afghanistan, Ryan Rickleton making a century, Temba Bavuma, Rassie van der Dussen and Aiden Markram chipping in with half-centuries and Kagiso Rabada taking three for 36, bagging the second of his wickets in those tough middle overs. South Africa’s qualification for the World Test Championship final, their semi-final place at the 2023 World Cup and making the final of the 2024 T20 World Cup suggests that integration of elite sport is, like rugby in South Africa, now delivering a rich harvest. Now they have just got to get over the line.
The last time these two met gave the first inkling that England were truly on the slide when they stuck to preordained plans to chase in a Mumbai sauna, melted and allowed South Africa to make 399 for seven before, exhausted, they made 170 to lose by 229 runs, a humping which was flattered by a 70-run partnership between Gus Atkinson and Mark Wood. The knee injury sustained by Wood on Wednesday should give us a chance to see if England can adapt – if it’s Atkinson and not Rehan Ahmed or Saqib Mahmood who comes in for him, it may well be a case of deja vu.
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