RAIN AGAIN Spectators leave the stands after the ICC Champions Trophy one-day international (ODI) cricket match between Australia and South Africa was abandoned due to rain, at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi on February 25, 2025. Picture: Farooq Naeem/AFP
Image: Farooq Naeem/AFP
Traditionally, the intervention of rain at ICC events during a match South Africa has been involved in has not ended well, but on Tuesday in the Champions Trophy it was by no means a disaster.
Though the Proteas may have fancied their chances against Australia, the shared point was certainly a better result than a loss.
With the point, it meant South Africa retained their top spot on the Group B log on three points.
Crucially though, the Proteas also maintained their superior net run-rate heading into their final group game against England on Saturday.
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England, meanwhile, take on Afghanistan on Wednesday and the winner of that match will rise to two points.
On Friday, Australia then play the Afghans. It’s expected that Australia will win that match and rise to five points which would book their place in the semi-finals.
It likely means then, that the winner of the South Africa-England match will grab the other semi spot.
Going back to SA’s rained out clash though, while a win would have been the big goal, the washout was actually the next best thing. That’s because the Proteas will now have more time to prepare for their match against England in a few days.
It also means the Proteas will be able to call on the services of Heinrich Klaasen as he has been passed fit after recovering from an elbow injury.
Though England may have a win under their belt by the time they take on South Africa, the odds will actually be firmly in favour of the Proteas and for that the Rainbow Nation can tip their hats to the heavens for a change.
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