The 2025 Champions Trophy will see the best eight sides in the men’s game come together to battle for a trophy that Pakistan have held since 2018, and South Africa have put together a squad full of hope.
While the competition has been far from consistent in how often it has been contested, this has not seen the excitement for it diminish. In fact, it is seen as a major chance for any of the eight sides to secure a piece of silverware.
While the likes of Australia, England and India do not need any invitation to secure trophies after faring well in recent years, there are a number of teams that will be desperate to use the Champions Trophy as a way to prove they are worthy of being regarded among the best. South Africa is one such side.
While each side has their big-game players locked, loaded and ready to go, the competition will be all about the entire squad, with three group-stage matches played within the space of a week.
While some players will be able to turn it on in each game, others will need time to rest and recover, whether due to age or workload.
With a squad of 15 players ready to go, Bets.co.za has taken a look at what to expect to see from each player in a competition that could help shape a golden year in South African cricket.
Temba Bavuma (c)
Leadership is the big buzz word for Temba Bavuma in the Champions Trophy. South Africa has historically been poor at major competitions, and Bavuma will want to be the man to change this outlook for the Proteas.
Runs will also be vital as he looks to play the dependable run-scoring role, but splitting the focus between scoring and making the right tactical calls is vital for South Africa, meaning Bavuma’s personal fortunes will likely decide how well the nation does at the Champions Trophy.
Tony de Zorzi
Tony de Zorzi is an interesting prospect heading into the competition as he has only played 12 ODI innings across two years.
His 449 runs in 12 innings at 40.82 is a decent record, but the pressure of a major competition against the best in the world will see the 27-year-old given a real baptism of fire in his budding one-day career.
Marco Jansen
This left-arm quick bowler will be very important across the tournament as each side looks to make the most out of both spin and pace, while he will also provide a threat with the bat lower down the order.
Marco Jansen’s aggressive bowling has seen him snare 41 wickets in 26 matches, but his economy rate of 6.31 will be something to keep an eye on.
Leaking runs is not an option for bowlers, especially in pressure matches, meaning Jansen will have to show great control in where he bowls if he is to be a dual threat when it comes to taking wickets and piling the pressure on by keeping his economy rate down.
Heinrich Klaasen
Runs will be the order of the day for Heinrich Klaasen as he looks to ensure South Africa keeps the score ticking over. Klaasen boasts 1,987 runs in 53 innings for his country at 43.20.
His impressive strike rate of 116.20 will be important, while he will also have to juggle being the wicket-keeping option too.
Playing the dual role did not seem to weigh on him against Pakistan in the build-up to the tournament as he notched 87 from 56 and kept wicket well.
Keshav Maharaj
While the dual threat of pace and spin will be what ultimately wins this tournament, the spinners know that the conditions at the tournament will likely mean they are leant on heavily.
Keshav Maharaj will be very aware of how important he is despite 55 wickets in 44 matches being a rather modest output. But 27 of these wickets came across his last full year in the team.
An economy rate of just 4.56 in the 50 over game means he generally keeps the batsmen honest, and this will be how the left-arm spinner looks to build pressure and force the opposition into mistakes.
Aiden Markram
Aiden Markram will hope to be an immovable object in the South African batting lineup. The main worry for Markram is that 2024 saw just 167 runs scored at an average of 33.40, while his strike rate dropped to 78.40 across the year, which is not the sort of numbers you want to see from a batsman coming out at number four.
Markram missed out on the Tri-Nation Series against New Zealand and Pakistan, and his nation will hope that some time away from the middle will see the combative batsman back to his best again.
David Miller
David Miller has tried to provide that big-hitting presence in the middle order that can finish off an innings, or to add quick runs in the final knockings of a match.
He arrives with a healthy average of 41.57, but finding his best batting position has been something of an issue even at the age of 35.
Miller has played in most positions across the top-order, but his average of 49.61 batting at fifth is his best average despite playing 94 of his 151 innings at six.
This is likely one of Miller’s final outings at a major tournament, meaning this will be one of his last chances to show what he can do on the big stage.
Wiaan Mulder
Despite making his ODI debut for South Africa back in 2017, Wiaan Mulder is still relatively new to the scene, playing in just 22 matches.
His 18 innings have resulted in a rather paltry 256 runs scored, meaning his place in the side as an all-rounder is under scrutiny, especially when considering he has taken 16/664 prior to the tournament at an average of 41.50.
Perhaps Mulder will have to remain content with being a squad player at the competition.
Lungi Ngidi
Lungi Ngidi will likely partner Kagiso Rabada in South Africa’s pace attack, and he brings 97 wickets in the ODI game to the table.
Teams across the tournament will need a good mix of pace and spin if they are to win the trophy, meaning Ngidi will be a vital cog in South Africa’s bowling attack.
Kagiso Rabada
Kagiso Rabada is the leader of South Africa’s bowling attack and for good reason. Rabada has snared 162 victims in ODI cricket with a best of 6/16 thanks to his fast and aggressive bowling.
Against South Africa’s group-stage opponents, Rabada has taken a total of 52 wickets, with the majority coming against Australia (30). With the Aussies arriving as one of the favourites, Rabada’s fortunes against them could be vital.
Ryan Rickelton
Ryan Rickelton is a very new face to ODI cricket, having played just six matches across his international 50 over career.
A total of 188 runs at 31.33 across these six matches is a decent record, while he has taken six catches and made two stumpings in his time behind the stumps. Rickelton will likely arrive as one of the players used to fill a place in the team when needed.
Tabraiz Shamsi
Tabraiz Shamsi will be another important member of South Africa’s bowling line-up. The left-arm unorthodox spinner arrives with 55 ODI matches under his belt, but he has struggled of late. Shamsi has taken a single wicket across four matches in 2024 and 2025.
Indeed, his average with the ball was 111.00 in 2024, while he has yet to take a single wicket this year. Hitting top form heading into a major tournament is very important to both team and player, and Shamsi’s lack of wickets is a concern.
Tristan Stubbs
The 24-year-old looked good across 2024, averaging 48.60 with the bat after scoring 243 runs in seven innings.
We expect quick runs from Stubbs, but it is worth noting that he has only played Afghanistan and Pakistan from the seven other sides at the tournament. He averages just 15.50 against Afghanistan and 1.00 against Pakistan.
Stubbs’ three matches and 211 runs against Ireland has swelled his ODI stats after he averaged 105.50 against the Irish.
If Stubbs can get himself in and score runs then he will do it quickly, but he will face some supreme bowling attacks across the tournament in a thorough test of his credentials.
Rassie van der Dussen
Rassie van der Dussen has been a consistent force in the South African batting line-up since 2019, averaging 48.31.
His consistency with the bat provides something that many ODI teams choose to ignore, with Van der Dussen simply enjoying time in the middle and scoring runs, rather than trying to hit the paint off the ball.
However, his strike rate of 70.27 in 2024 is low, and while runs are important, scoring at a fairly quick lick is also vital in the 50-over game.
Corbin Bosch
Despite being 30-years-old, Corbin Bosch has only played two matches for South Africa in the ODI game. A total of 55 runs and two not outs across his two innings coupled with two wickets means the all-rounder is doing his job in part.
His appearance against Pakistan in the Tri-Nation Series came at seven in the batting order, but it will be a worry that he went for 70 runs from eight overs for a single wicket in this clash.
Sometimes the batsmen are just on top, but judging on his performance against Pakistan, most opponents will fancy taking on his medium pace bowling.
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