Karachi, March 1: England captain Jos Buttler won the toss and chose to bat against South Africa in their concluding Group B encounter of the ICC Champions Trophy here on Saturday.
The match holds special significance, marking Buttler's farewell as England's white-ball skipper, following his decision to step down after England's disappointing early exit from the tournament.
England's Champions Trophy campaign ended prematurely after consecutive defeats against Australia and Afghanistan. Their aim today is to conclude the tournament on a high note, despite already being eliminated.
For South Africa, a victory in today's clash will guarantee the top spot in Group B, pushing them ahead of Australia, who have already secured a semifinal berth after their Friday match against Afghanistan was abandoned due to rain.
Team Updates
England made a forced change to their lineup, replacing injured fast bowler Mark Wood with Saqib Mahmood.South Africa opted for two tactical alterations, introducing Heinrich Klaasen and Tristan Stubbs into their side in place of Tony de Zorzi and captain Temba Bavuma.
Playing XI:
England: Philip Salt, Ben Duckett, Jamie Smith (wicketkeeper), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler (captain), Liam Livingstone, Jamie Overton, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Saqib Mahmood.South Africa: Tristan Stubbs, Ryan Rickelton, Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram (captain), Heinrich Klaasen (wicketkeeper), David Miller, Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi.
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