Karachi, March 01 (HS): South Africa and Australia on Saturday qualified for the Champions Trophy semifinals after the Proteas bowled out a struggling England for 179, the lowest total of the tournament, in their final Group B match here. Already eliminated from the semifinal race, England needed a victory by at least 207 runs to give Afghanistan a chance of qualifying based on the run-rate.

In the first innings, England were bowled out for 179 within 39 overs, the lowest total in the tournament this year – and it sealed South Africa’s path into the semi-finals as England will not be able to win by a big enough margin to put Afghanistan in second spot via their net run rate.

They had fallen to 37/3 after Phil Salt, Jamie Smith and Ben Duckett were all out within the first seven overs.

That was followed by a middle-order collapse. Harry Brook was out for just 19, followed by Joe Root for 37, deceived by a brilliant ball from Wiann Mulder. The pair of them had mustered a partnership of 62, the only notable one of the innings.Liam Livingstone made only 9, out of his ground and stumped by Klaasen, and Jamie Overton reached 11 before being caught superbly by Lungi Ngidi off the bowling of Kagiso Rabada.

The tail did their best, with Archer joining outgoing captain Jos Buttler at the crease and making 25 off 31 balls.

Then Buttler departed in the 36th over for a sluggish 21 off 43 deliveries, leaving Adil Rashid and Saqib Mahmood with the task of seeing out the innings.

And Rashid was the last man to fall, caught behind off the bowling of Mulder.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar