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Afghanistan vs Australia in the Group B match of the ICC Champions Trophy on 28th of February 2025 at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. Due to heavy rainfall, the match was canceled and both teams were awarded points. Australia’s place in the semi-finals had already been secured while Afghanistan became dependent on other matches in the group to qualify.
Afghanistan vs Australia : Afghanistan’s Innings
Afghanistan came in to bat first and put up a respectable score of 273 runs. The innings was anchored by opener Sediqullah Atal, who scored an impressive 85 runs. Along with Azmatullah Omarzai, who scored 67 runs, the underway partnership of Sediqullah on the score board made for strong foundation.
Along with all the effort being made by the Afghan team, the fielding lapses during the innings ensured Australia contained the scoring rate. Ben Dwarshuis from Australia bowled a brilliant spell, picking up 3 wickets for 47 runs, breaking the Afghan teams momentum.
Afghanistan vs Australia : Australia’s Take
In a strong pursuit of 274, Australia got off to a rapid start. Travis Head set the pace with a quickfire 59 off 40, fueled with aggressive batting. He was well supported by captain Smith, who was not out as Australia reached 109 runs for loss of one wicket in 12.5 overs.
Their partnership exemplified Australia’s purpose of getting down to business and chasing the target. Suddenly, the game came to an agonizing stop when heavy rain poured down on the stadium and resulted in a suspension of play.
Even though some attempts were made to return the play, it was not possible to come back on the field and the match had to be abandoned due to an outfield which was unplayable.
Afghanistan vs Australia : What The Abandonment Means
With the match scoring no results, neither team won meaning the teams were each granted one point. Australia reaching a total of four points were able to secure their place in the semi finals. Smith was happy with his boys for playing well and progressing further into the tournament. In contrast, the hopes of Afghanistan qualifying for the semi finals has now become less streamlined.
Now, it all relies on the result of the game between England and South Africa. For Afghanistan to crown victor, England defeating South Africa by a hefty margin is needed which brings a whole new level of excitement into the tournament.
Afghanistan vs Australia : Background Information
The clash further developed the deepening rivalry of Australia and Afghanistan.
Afghanistan pulled off a major upset by defeating Australia by 21 runs during the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, marking their first victory against the Aussies in international cricket. During this match, Afghanistan scored 149 runs, thanks to Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran’s efforts.
And with Gulbadin Naib’s incredible bowling, where he claimed four Australian wickets while giving up just 20 runs, they were able to restrict Australia to a mere 127 runs. This win is one of the biggest in Afghanistan’s history and further emphasizes their growing strength in international cricket.
Afghanistan vs Australia : Player Updates
Since the last match, Australian player Matt Short has raised some concerns after suffering a thigh injury. Short’s injury puts him in question for the next semi-final match. Even though Short was able to score 20 runs during the match, his mobility on the field due to his thigh injury limited him to five singles.
Team captain Steve Smith stated that the current situation with Short’s recovery is ambiguous, so the team is looking to possibly make changes with Jake Fraser-McGurk and substitute Cooper Connolly. But if the changes are made, only time will tell as it entirely depends on Short’s recovery.
Afghanistan vs Australia : Looking Ahead
With Australia now advanced, we can expect a great semi-final match of Australia vs either India or New Zealand based on the outcome of the other group matches.
The team’s concentration will be on holding their form and solving any injury problems in an attempt to have their best available XI on the field. On the other hand, Afghanistan will be watching the England versus South Africa match very closely, hoping for a result that would allow them to advance to the semi-finals.
With every game adding to the story of international cricket, the tournament still retains the attention of fans across the globe.
Read also about Hashmatullah Shahidi: A Hardworking Cricket Star From Afghanistan here.
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