It’s time for Champions Trophy match no. 3, and the Proteas are all set to meet a team making its CT debut, Afghanistan. Yes, they may have lost two warm-up games recently, one against Pakistan Shaheens, and another against New Zealand , but everyone knows how well they performed in ODI cricket, showcasing glimpses of their potential in the last ODI World Cup. They also clinched a series win against South Africa. Now, the same South African team is here, coming into this game after losing two matches in the ODI tri-series. However, they won their recent warm-up games, so we can expect them to perform well. Since this match is going to be big, let’s take a look at how the National Stadium surface will behave ahead of the South Africa vs Afghanistan Champions Trophy match.
National Stadium Pitch Report
Although the last game at National Stadium served as an eye-opener, with Pakistan failing to chase a 300-plus target against New Zealand, historically, this pitch has always favored batters, as scoring runs is relatively easier, providing excellent pace and bounce for players to accumulate runs. Initially, seamers can take advantage of some movement with the new ball; however, as the match progresses, their assistance will diminish. In contrast, spinners are likely to find some turn during the latter stages of the game. Therefore, teams winning the toss may prefer to bat first. Now the weather forecast in Karachi indicates favorable conditions for cricket, with a maximum temperature expected to be around 29 degrees Celsius. There is no predicted rain on match day, though it might be slightly overcast. If the cloud cover is significant, fast bowlers could benefit from additional help. Overall, promises to be a really interesting game.
National Stadium stats
| Stat | Value |
| Matches Played | 56 |
| Matches Won by Home Side | 26 (46.43%) |
| Matches Won by Touring Side | 21 (37.50%) |
| Matches Won by Neutral Side | 7 (12.50%) |
| Matches Won Batting First | 26 (44.83%) |
| Matches Won Batting Second | 28 (48.28%) |
| Matches Won Winning Toss | 23 (39.66%) |
| Matches Won Losing Toss | 31 (53.45%) |
| Matches Tied | 0 (0.00%) |
| Matches with No Result | 2 (3.57%) |
| Highest Team Innings | 374/4 (India) |
| Lowest Team Innings | 115 (Bangladesh) |
| Highest Run Chase Achieved | 355/4 (Pakistan) |
| Average Runs per Wicket | 35.77 |
| Average Runs per Over | 5.35 |
| Average Score Batting First | 246 |
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