Off the back of their disappointment in the Pakistan Tri-Nations ODI Series, the Proteas will turn their attention to the ICC Champions Trophy. Eight teams will try to win the trophy in Pakistan and the UAE from 19 February – 9 March.
The Proteas (1.45) are in Group B of the ICC Champions Trophy with Afghanistan, Australia and England. The top two will advance to the semi-finals alongside the top two from Group A (Bangladesh, India, New Zealand, Pakistan).
Rob Walter’s men must improve their performance in the Pakistan Tri-Nations ODI Series. There, they were beaten by New Zealand and Pakistan despite twice posting totals of over 300 runs.
ICC Champions Trophy Returns From Hiatus
The ICC Champions Trophy, a quadrennial ODI cricket tournament organised by the International Cricket Council (ICC), is returning after the 2021 edition was skipped.
Originally introduced as the ICC KnockOut Trophy in 1998, it was a biennial event until 2002, when it was renamed the ICC Champions Trophy. From 2009, it was held every four years.
In 2016, the ICC scrapped the tournament after the 2017 edition to streamline major international competitions. However, in November 2021, as part of the 2024–2031 ICC men’s hosting cycle, the ICC confirmed its return from 2025 onwards.
Proteas Need To Turn ODI Form Around
Under head coach Rob Walter, the Proteas have struggled in one-day international and T20 tournaments. The test team has performed well under Shukri Conrad, but South Africa has struggled in the limited-overs game.
Their Pakistan Tri-Nations series disappointment came off the back of a 3-0 defeat to Pakistan in a December ODI series.
However, the Proteas have at least performed well at major tournaments recently and they were semi-finalists at the 2023 World Cup. Furthermore, the Proteas were finalists at the 2024 T20 World Cup. The ICC Champions Trophy is the only major trophy the Proteas have won before, having triumphed in 1998. They will be hoping that this tournament can provide a repeat. The Proteas will want to upset the online sports betting odds.
