England vs South Africa: Shocking Early Wickets After Toss Decision – CT 2025
England vs South Africa: England Wins Toss and Elects to Bat First
Team Lineups & Key Changes
England’s Playing XI:
Ben Duckett, Philip Salt, Jamie Smith (wk), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler (c), Liam Livingstone, Jamie Overton, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Saqib Mahmood.
Change: Saqib Mahmood replaces Mark Wood.
South Africa’s Playing XI:
Tristan Stubbs, Ryan Rickelton, Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram (c), Heinrich Klaasen (wk), David Miller, Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi.
Changes: Tristan Stubbs and Heinrich Klaasen are in. They replace Temba Bavuma and Tony de Zorzi, who are not feeling well.
Captains’ Reactions at the Toss
Aiden Markram (South Africa Captain):
“We are happy to chase. This will be our first time chasing in the tournament, and it’s a challenge against a quality England team. Unfortunately, Bavuma and de Zorzi are unavailable due to illness. If we qualify for the semifinals, we hope to have them back. Tristan Stubbs will open the innings.”
Jos Buttler (England Captain):
“We are going to bat first. The pitch looks good, as seen in the previous match between South Africa and Afghanistan. This is my final match as captain, and while there is sadness, I look forward to finishing on a high. Saqib Mahmood replaces Mark Wood, bringing fresh energy with the new ball.”
Match Begins: England Suffers Early Blows
Marco Jansen Strikes in the First Over
England starts strong, but it backfires. Marco Jansen takes out Philip Salt in the first over. Salt, attempting a pull shot, gets a top edge due to extra bounce. Rassie van der Dussen takes an easy catch at midwicket. England loses its first wicket early.
- Philip Salt: 8 runs (6 balls)
- Dismissal: Caught by Rassie van der Dussen, bowled by Marco Jansen
Jamie Smith Falls Without Scoring
Jansen strikes again, dismissing Jamie Smith in a near-identical fashion. A short ball at 142.3 km/h hurries Smith, resulting in a top edge. Aiden Markram moves forward from mid-on to take the catch. England is in early trouble with two quick wickets.
- Jamie Smith: 0 runs (3 balls)
- Dismissal: Caught by Aiden Markram, bowled by Marco Jansen
With England at two wickets down, Joe Root walks in to stabilize the innings.