Match prediction for Australia vs South Africa Match 7 in Rawalpindi.
Australia and South Africa will be squaring off in the seventh match of the Champions Trophy 2025 on Tuesday, February 25. This crucial Group B fixture is set to take place at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, with the first ball to be bowled at 2:30 PM IST.
Check out our analysis for the AUS vs SA match with the top betting tips and predictions.
Here are some of the best bets for this Australia vs South Africa match.
Ryan Rickelton is in the form of his life, piling on runs in all three formats. Following a stellar SA20 season, he hit a century against Afghanistan on his debut at ICC events.
Both these teams boast of some very good strikers in their line-up, including Glenn Maxwell, Travis Head, Ryan Rickelton, Heinrich Klaasen. The venue is also excellent for six-hitting, with flat pitches and short boundaries.
Both teams have depleted bowling attacks that can leak runs. But South Africa hold an edge due to a stronger batting unit. They have also dominated the recent head to head record.
Pitches in Rawalpindi are known to be flat with not much bounce and pace on offer. Batters can put on big scores here. The average batting first score in the last eight ODIs reads 279 while the most recent fixture saw over 660 runs across two innings.
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The head-to-head record between these two teams in fifty-over cricket is neck and neck. Out of 110 ODIs, South Africa have won 55 games whereas Australia have claimed 51. The Proteas lead the scoreline in the last 10 encounters by 7-3.
Several star players missing had no impact on Australia as they defeated England in the opening game by five wickets. Chasing a big target of 352, they lost Travis Head and Steve Smith early before Matt Short and Marnus Labuschagne added a 95-run partnership. Australia lost both batters in quick succession but Josh Inglis and Alex Carey held the chase together with 146 runs for the fifth wicket. Inglis went on to score a stunning 120 not-out in 86 balls to see his side over the line.
Possible XI: Matthew Short, Travis Head, Steven Smith (c), Marnus Labuschagne, Josh Inglis (wk), Alex Carey, Glenn Maxwell, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Spencer Johnson
The Proteas men kicked off the Champions Trophy campaign with a clinical 107-run win against Afghanistan. Ryan Rickelton was the star of the show, scoring a century on his debut in the ICC events. Three other batters made individual fifties as they posted 318 on the board. Kagiso Rabada was the pick of the bowlers with 3 for 36. South Africa were without Heinrich Klaasen in the last game due to precautionary measures. If fit, he will replace Tony de Zorzi in the line-up.
Possible XI: Temba Bavuma (c), Ryan Rickelton (wk), Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi
Check out the details of where to watch the Australia vs South Africa Champions Trophy 2025 match.
Dew could play a role here in the second innings and that could prompt teams to chase. 14 out of 26 ODIs played here won by the chasing teams. Expect the toss-winning captain to opt to field first.
Take a look at the weather forecast, key matchup and favourites to get a better picture of the match.
The weather forecast doesn’t look great for this match as Rawalpindi could witness periods of rain throughout the day. The radar shows a 70% chance of precipitation with around 5.5 mm of rain predicted. The humidity levels will be high at 80% while the temperature should range between 14 to 24 degree Celsius.
The bookmakers have placed Australia as favourites heading into this match with a 58% chance of winning.
Travis Head has hit 62 off 55 deliveries against Kagiso Rabada in the fifty-over format but has lost his wicket three times. This matchup with the new ball could be vital for the result of this game.
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