In a Group B encounter in Karachi on Saturday, South Africa defeated helpless England by seven wickets to advance to the Champions Trophy semi-finals.
South Africa knocked down the mark for three wickets in 29.1 overs after Wiaan Mulder (3-25) and Marco Jansen (3-39) bowled England out for a pitiful 179 in 38.2 overs.
India and New Zealand, who play each other in Dubai on Sunday, are in the final four from Group A, while South Africa, who finished first in Group B with five points, one more than Australia, will join the Australians in the semi-finals.
England has had a terrible tournament; this is their third loss, following losses to Afghanistan and Australia that destroyed their hopes of winning the championship with one game remaining.
The semi-final lineups will be decided by the India-New Zealand match, which will take place in Dubai on March 4 and Lahore the following day.
Regardless of where they place in the group, India, whose government declined to send its national squad to Pakistan due to political sensitivities, will play their semi-final in Dubai.
The match would take place in Dubai on March 9 if India advances to the final. Otherwise, the final will be held in Lahore.
With the score at 47, fast bowler Jofra Archer dismissed Ryan Rickelton (27) and Tristan Stubbs (nought). However, a 127-run partnership between Rassie van der Dussen and Heinrich Klaasen kept South Africa on course with the third wicket.
With just five balls remaining to win, spinner Adil Rashid dismissed Klaasen, who had hit a 64 off 56 balls with 11 boundaries, which David Miller finished with a six.
Dussen’s undefeated 72 off 87 balls included three sixes and six boundaries.
Rashid had 1-37 figures, while Archer had 2-55.
The top order was annihilated by Mulder and Jansen earlier, when England won the toss and batted.
England’s batting chart showed a sorry picture, with Joe Root scoring the most at 37, while spinner Keshav Maharaj had figures of 2-35.
In addition to their captain Jos Buttler resigning following this match, England was already eliminated after two straight losses.
In a sharp first five overs, Jansen got rid of opener Phil Salt (eight), Jamie Smith (nought), and Ben Duckett (24).
Harry Brook then ended a 62-run fourth-wicket stand with Root after he made a spectacular diving catch off Maharaj at long-on, dismissing him for 19.
England was dealt a severe blow when Root was bowled by Mulder just four runs later, and the situation got worse when Maharaj dismissed Liam Livingstone for nine.
In his 44-ball knock, Root hit four boundaries and one six.
Buttler (21) and Archer (25) put up 42 runs for the ninth wicket, but the final two wickets fell with only eight runs scored after Archer was removed by Mulder.
Regular skipper Temba Bavuma and Tony de Zorzi had to be left off the pitch due to illness, and stand-in captain Aiden Markram had to leave due to a hamstring issue.
