Jos Buttler’s last match as captain ended with England losing their seventh ODI on the trot. Their nightmarish Champions Trophy campaign, where they could not defend a 350-plus total against Australia and failed to get over the Afghanistan barrier, finished with a seven-wicket thrashing at the hands of South Africa in Karachi on Saturday.
South Africa, with 5 points, qualified for the semi-finals as the Group B toppers, while Australia finished second with 4 points. Sunday’s India-New Zealand Group A game in Dubai will decide the semi-final line-ups.
With Buttler announcing his decision to step down from captaincy on the match eve, it was perhaps too much to expect England, who were already out of the race for the semis, to come up with an inspired show. They didn’t, being bowled out for 179.
In reply, Heinrich Klaasen (64) and Rassie van der Dussen (72 not out) scored half-centuries as the Proteas cruised home in 29.1 overs. The duo shared a 127-run stand for the third-wicket to shut out England.
South Africa’s left-arm pacer Marco Jansen, who picked up 3/39, was adjudged the Player of the Match.
Aiden Markram led the Proteas on Saturday in the absence of Temba Bavuma who was down with an illness. Markram too spent time out of the ground after he picked up a hamstring niggle. But he was happy with how the team played. “I thought the boys were really good... The wicket was quite slow, they adapted really well.”
