LAHORE: Australia secured their put in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 semi-finals after their pivotal clash against Afghanistan was washed out due to rain at the Gaddafi Stadium on Friday.
Australia, who begun their campaign with a dazzling triumph over arch-rivals Britain, wrapped up with four focuses as their remaining two matches finished in no results.
The two-time champions, as a result, got to be the to begin with group to qualify for the Last Four from Bunch B, whereas Afghanistan are not all but out of the competition indeed if Britain beat South Africa on Saturday as the Asian side are well behind the Proteas in terms of net run rate.
When the rain interceded, Australia were 109/1 in 12.5 overs with Travis Head and captain Steve Smith unbeaten on 59 and 19 respectively.
Australian openers Matthew Brief and Travis Head came out all weapons bursting whereas chasing 274 as they put together a brisk 44-run stand until in-form Azmatullah Omarzai gave Afghanistan a breakthrough by expelling the former.
Short scored 20 off 15 conveyances with the offer assistance of three fours and a six.
Head at that point joined forces with Smith to keep up Australia’s high-flying begin, including an unbeaten 63-run organization for the moment wicket until rain stopped the proceedings.
Batting to begin with, Afghanistan were bowled out for 273 in 50 overs, affability of half-centuries from Omarzai and Sediqullah Atal.
Omarzai scored a significant 67 off 63 runs with the offer assistance of one boundary and five sixes after Sediqullah Atal’s 85 had laid the establishment, making a difference Afghanistan recuperate from mid-innings setbacks.
Afghanistan got off to a unstable begin to their innings as Spencer Johnson cleaned up Rahmanullah Gurbaz on the fifth conveyance of the match.
Following the early hiccup, Atal joined in-form Ibrahim Zadran in the center and propelled recovery.
The team shared an critical 67-run until Adam Zampa given a much-needed breakthrough to Australia in the 14th over by getting Zadran caught at in reverse point.
The right-handed opener scored 22 off 28 conveyances with the offer assistance of two boundaries.
Afghanistan at that point endured another blow as Rahmat Shah (12) fell casualty to Glenn Maxwell in the 19th over, bringing the add up to down to 91/3.
Atal at that point put together a one-sided 68-run organization for the fourth wicket with captain Hashmatullah Shahidi some time recently at last strolling back in the 32nd over.
He remained the top-scorer for Afghanistan with a 95-ball 85, comprised of six fours and three sixes.
His rejection started a brief middle-order collapse which saw Afghanistan losing three wickets in speedy progression and as a result, had slipped to 199/7 in 40 overs.
But a opportune half-century from in-form all-rounder Omarzai reinforced Afghanistan to a impressive total.
He too shared a helpful 36-run association for the eighth wicket with Rashid Khan, who made a 17-ball 19.
For Australia, Ben Dwarshuis took three scalps whereas Johnson and Zampa picked up two wickets each. Glenn Maxwell and Nathan Ellis made one scalp apiece.
The coordinate was a basic one for both sides as a triumph would direct the winning side into the semi-finals.
On Wednesday, the Afghans kept their dream lively in a nerve-wracking experience against Britain, beating them by eight runs. Aussies, on the other hand battered Britain to chase the mammoth 351-run target, the most elevated ever score in Champions Trophy’s history.
Afghanistan and Australia have confronted each other in ODI cricket four times, with the Kangaroos developing triumphant on all four events. The Afghan group is however to claim a triumph against them.