What It Means for the Champions Trophy 2025 Semifinal Race: The Afghanistan-Australia Washout
After their Group B match against Afghanistan was washed out in Lahore, Australia qualified for the Champions Trophy 2025 semifinals.
Australia qualified for the Champions Trophy 2025 semifinals after their Group B match against Afghanistan was washed out in Lahore on Friday.
Australia now has four points from three matches, while South Africa and Afghanistan both have three points. However, South Africa will play England in their final Group B match on Saturday, having missed one game. With 5 points, South Africa will join Australia in the semifinals if they win the game.
However, a loss for South Africa against England might open the door for Afghanistan as the second semi-final spot from Group B will then be decided by Net Run Rate (NRR). South Africa currently holds the advantage due to their significantly higher NRR.
Australia were 109 for 1 in 12.5 overs, chasing a target of 274, when the match was stopped by rain. Several pools of water remained on the field despite the ground staff's efforts to clear it, and after an inspection, the umpires decided to call the match off.
The interruption came just an hour before the cut-off time for completing the match.
With the game called off, Australia advanced to the semifinals with four points. In Rawalpindi, their last match against South Africa was also abandoned
At the time of interruption, Travis Head was in superb form, having scored 59 runs off 40 balls, including nine fours and one six.
Rashid Khan dropped him on six after diving at mid-on off Fazalhaq Farooqi and dropping him.
Head took advantage of this opportunity to dominate the Afghanistan bowlers, scoring 28 runs off just 17 balls from Farooqi.
At the other end, skipper Steve Smith played a more measured innings, getting 19 not out of 22 balls, including two boundaries.
Afghanistan's chances are slim if this match doesn't go their way, and it would depend on how England and South Africa play on Saturday.
A net run-rate (NRR) calculation will be made if England wins, and South Africa and Afghanistan will both finish with three points.
Unless South Africa loses by more than 200 runs, Afghanistan's current NRR of -0.99 would almost certainly eliminate them.
Sediqullah Atal's tough 85 and Azmatullah Omarzai's explosive 67 helped Afghanistan reach a competitive total earlier in the day of 273.
After a rocky start, Atal anchored the innings, but Omarzai's late fireworks lifted Afghanistan past 270 after they were 235 for 8 after Rashid Khan was out.
Under pressure, Omarzai hit 63 balls with five sixes and one four. In the penultimate over, he hit two huge sixes off Nathan Ellis, including a stunning 102-meter shot over midwicket that went over Glenn Maxwell at the boundary.
He then hit a towering six wide of long-off as Afghanistan scored a total that significantly improved their spin-heavy bowling lineup.
He then hit a towering six wide of long-off as Afghanistan scored a total that significantly improved their spin-heavy bowling lineup.
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