AUS vs SA Match Preview- ICC Champions Trophy 2025, Match 7

Australia and South Africa will be eyeing their second win in the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy 2025 when they lock horns against each other. It will be the seventh game of the ongoing tournament and is scheduled to be played on Tuesday (February 25) at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.

Both Australia and South Africa have started their campaign with wins. While South Africa thrashed Afghanistan by 107 runs in their tournament opener, Australia got their campaign underway with an impressive 5-wicket win over England.

So, as South Africa and Australia gear up for the upcoming game, we are taking a look at their match preview.

AUS vs SA Match Preview- ICC Champions Trophy 2025, Match 7:

AUS vs SA, Date and Venue:

The upcoming AUS vs SA match will be played on Tuesday (February 25) at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi. The match will be played from 02:30 PM (IST).

Squads:

Australia:

Matthew Short, Travis Head, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Steven Smith(c), Josh Inglis(w), Aaron Hardie, Glenn Maxwell, Sean Abbott, Ben Dwarshuis, Adam Zampa, Tanveer Sangha, Nathan Ellis, Spencer Johnson, Marnus Labuschagne, Alex Carey

South Africa:

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

AUS vs SA key battles:

Travis Head vs Kagiso Rabada:

While Travis Head failed to get going with the bat against England, he will still be a big threat for South Africa in the upcoming game. Head has been one of the best all-format batsmen in the last couple of years or so and will look to score big in the upcoming game.

South Africa will be hoping to get Head’s wicket as early as possible and will be relying on their pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada for the same. Rabada has started his Champions Trophy campaign on a strong note. He picked up 3 wickets against Afghanistan and will be keen to win his duel with Head as well.

Josh Inglis vs Wiaan Mulder:

Josh Inglis could not have asked for a better start to his campaign in the Champions Trophy. The wicketkeeper-batsman scored a stunning century to help his side chase down a record total of 352 runs against England.

With form on his side, Inglis will be eyeing another good knock. South Africa, on the other hand, will be hoping that Inglis does not score big against them. And they will be relying on their allrounder Wiaan Mulder for his wicket. Mulder has been picking wickets at key junctures in recent times and will be eyeing Inglis’ scalp in the upcoming contest.

Heinrich Klaasen vs Adam Zampa:

This is another battle that could decide the fate of the AUS vs SA game. Klaasen missed the first game due to a niggle and is expected to return to the playing eleven for the upcoming game. The wicketkeeper-batsman is one of the best South African batsmen against spin and can change the course of the game in a matter of few overs.

Klaasen will be looking to target Adam Zampa and the latter has ample experience to deliver under pressure. Zampa will be hoping that Klaasen’s attacking mindset helps him get his wicket in the upcoming game.

AUS vs SA Key Players

AUS – Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Alex Carey, Adam Zampa, and Nathan Ellis will be the key players for Australia.

SA – Ryan Rickelton, Temba Bavuma, Rassie van der Dussen, Heinrich Klaasen, and Kagiso Rabada will be the key players for South Africa.

AUS vs SA Weather And Pitch Report:

The weather report is not very promising for the upcoming AUS vs SA game. The weather forecast has predicted light rain in the city on the match day. The chances of rain will be between 50-70 percent throughout the game. The start of the game could also be delayed due to rain and wet outfield.

As far as the pitch is concerned, it is expected to be flat and will be a good surface for the batsmen. The last two games played at this venue were high-scoring ones and the upcoming game could also unfold similarly.

Conclusion:

A semifinal spot is in sight for both Australia and South Africa. Both teams will be keen to win the upcoming game and bolster their chances of progressing ahead. A defeat, on the other hand, could land them in a tricky situation where their fate will be no more in their hands.