Top bowler Kagiso Rabada will be rested for the series, along with Lungi Ngidi, as South Africa look ahead to the two-Test series against Sri Lanka, which begins later in November.
New Zealand and South Africa, both laden with world-class talent but often falling short in ICC tournaments, will face off in a tightly contested Champions Trophy semifinal.
Debutants Afghanistan will aim to continue their impressive rise in white-ball cricket, while South Africa will once again attempt to shed the 'chokers' tag when the two sides kick-off their Champions Trophy campaign in Karachi on Friday.
Josh Inglis and Priyansh Arya slammed half-centuries as Punjab Kings humbled Mumbai Indians by seven wickets.
On Sunday, he did well to kill the notion that left arm spinners are not effective against left arm batters as he clearly took out the Rajasthan southpaws for his first two wickets.
Punjab Kings set a new IPL record for the lowest total ever successfully defended -- 111.
ICC ODI Player of the Year Afghanistan's Azamatullah Omarzai would be able to join Punjab Kings only on March 20.
Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer called Yuzvendra Chahal "one of the best bowlers" in the Indian Premier League and revealed that he told the seasoned leg-spinner to always look for wickets instead of worrying over leaking runs during a "personal chat".
Ryan Rickelton posted the joint seventh-highest score by a South African in Tests with 259 as his side ran up a huge 615 before reducing Pakistan to 64/4 at the close on Day 2.
Lucknow Super Giants skipper Rishabh Pant's woeful form with the bat and Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer's sublime touch have made Sunday's mid-table clash an engrossing contest -- one that could decisively shape the fortunes of either side as the IPL enters its business end.
This squad is by far one of the most compact in Punjab's IPL history and with the tactical genius of Ricky Ponting at the helm, it will be a folly to write them off at any time of the competition.
While CSK dropped as many as five catches, a couple of them sitters, Punjab were not too far behind as they floored four chances.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Punjab Kings, two sides chasing their first IPL title, will square off in a tantalising Qualifier 1 encounter on Thursday, May 29, 2025.
Nehal Wadhera and Shashank Singh struck half-centuries, while left-arm spinner Harpreet Brar took three wickets as Punjab Kings outclassed Rajasthan Royals by 10 runs.
South Africa picked an experienced 15-man squad for next month's Champions Trophy in Pakistan with 10 players having competed at the last World Cup in India in late 2023.
Victory for South Africa followed Test success over West Indies in Guyana in August and Bangladesh in a two-Test series in October.
Head coach Ricky Ponting hailed Punjab Kings' incredible spirit and resilience after they pulled off a sensational 16-run win over Kolkata Knight Riders.
Punjab Kings' (PBKS) head coach Ricky Ponting on Tuesday said his team's thrilling 16-run win over defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) could be a "season-defining" victory in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
The depth of fast bowlers at South Africa's disposal was no better evidenced than on Thursday as Corbin Bosch and Dale Paterson took nine of the 10 wickets to dismiss Pakistan for 211 on the opening day of the first Test at Centurion.
Srinivas Bhogle and Purnendu Maji present Rediff's Most Valuable Player Index of IPL 2025 after Game 68.
Srinivas Bhogle and Purnendu Maji check out who could be the Most Valuable Player of IPL 2025 before the final.
With Mahendra Singh Dhoni being the same player and no one to "bell the cat", CSK are in unusual mess with a mis-firing top-order where the skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad has had to give up his opening slot.
Defending champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape registered their fourth successive victory with a 14-run win over Joburg Super Kings.
The importance is to win the trophy. There is no pressure (of Punjab having never won the IPL). It is an opportunity, Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer said in a joint media interaction with Head Coach Ricky Ponting.
Durban's Super Giants pip Pretoria Capitals
South Africa join Australia, India and New Zealand in the semi-finals but who their opponents will be, and where they will play next, will be answered on Sunday when the latter two clash in Dubai.
'We're just starting to scratch the surface. So let's keep working hard together as a family, as one. And we're going to get better every day.'
Kolkata Knight Riders skipper Ajinkya Rahane admitted that his batters lacked 'game awareness' in their defeat to Punjab Kings.
Heinrich Klaasen will captain South Africa in three Twenty20 matches against Pakistan next week.
Virat Kohli continues to prove why he is one of the greatest ODI batters of all time, moving up to the fourth spot with 747 rating points in the latest ICC ODI rankings.
Lucknow Super Giants skipper Rishabh Pant is looking to make his mark and secure a win in his team's first home game of the season.
Sunrisers Eastern Cape came up with a clinical performance with both bat and ball to register a 58-run bonus victory over Durban Super Giants in the SA20 match at Kingsmead.
His knock -- 67 off 45 balls with 3 fours and 5 sixes -- was a cocktail of composure and controlled aggression. It was also his 10th IPL half-century, a milestone that arrived just when the spotlight had begun to shift off him.
Chahal is now the first player in IPL history to take a hat-trick against CSK.
Rajasthan Royals face a tough challenge against a marauding Punjab Kings batting lineup, led by in-form Shreyas Iyer.
Australia and South Africa, two teams renowned for their batting prowess, will go head-to-head in Rawalpindi on Tuesday, aiming to secure a place in the Champions Trophy semifinals.
Purnendu Maji and Srinivas Bhogle present Rediff's Most Valuable Player Index of IPL 2025 after Game 55.
'But the way the home team should get support, everyone needs to know this is our home team that is playing in Lucknow and what can we do to help them win? 'Everyone's contribution is important. We will find a way anyway to win matches.'
IMAGES from the IPL match played between Lucknow Super Giants and Punjab Kings in Lucknow on Tuesday.
Punjab Kings defeated Royal Challengers Bengaluru by five wickets in a rain-affected IPL match reduced to 14 overs per side at the M Chinnaswamy stadium, Bengaluru, on Friday, April 18, 2025.
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