Australia’s Group B match against Afghanistan was washed out, allowing Australia to qualify for the Champions Trophy 2025 semifinals with 4 points. Afghanistan now relies on the outcome of South Africa’s match against England to determine their chances for the semifinals, with current NRR implications at play. Afghanistan scored 273 runs earlier but will depend on South Africa’s performance for qualification.
Australia has officially secured a spot in the semifinals of the Champions Trophy 2025 after their Group B match against Afghanistan was abandoned due to rain in Lahore. Australia now holds 4 points from 3 matches, while both Afghanistan and South Africa have 3 points each. South Africa, with a game in hand, will face England in their final Group B match, where a win could see them top the group with 5 points.
If South Africa loses to England, the second semifinal spot from Group B will depend on Net Run Rate (NRR). Currently, South Africa has a significantly better NRR compared to Afghanistan. In the abandoned match, Australia was 109 for 1 while chasing a target of 274 when rain halted play, leading the umpires to call off the game after inspection.
The match faced disruption just an hour before the conclusion cut-off time. At the time of abandonment, Travis Head was excelling with a score of 59 runs from 40 balls, which included nine fours and one six. His innings was particularly impactful as it followed a dropped catch by Rashid Khan, which allowed him to capitalize on the Afghanistan bowling.
Skipper Steve Smith contributed with a steady 19 not out off 22 balls as Australia advanced to the semifinals with four points from the match. Afghanistan, meanwhile, must rely on the outcome of the South Africa vs. England match to see if they have any chance of qualification.
If England wins, South Africa and Afghanistan will both end with three points, necessitating an NRR calculation. Afghanistan’s current NRR of -0.99 suggests they would likely be eliminated unless South Africa suffers a significant defeat by over 200 runs. Earlier, Afghanistan managed a score of 273, largely supported by Sediqullah Atal’s 85 and Azmatullah Omarzai’s aggressive 67.
Atal played a crucial role in stabilizing the innings, while Omarzai finished strongly with five sixes and one four in his 63-ball effort. His late surge was instrumental in pushing Afghanistan past 270 runs despite the team losing wickets at crucial moments. Ben Dwarshuis’s impressive bowling figures of 3/47 encapsulated the Australian effort in a match that proved crucial for both teams’ trajectories in the tournament.
In summary, the rain-abandoned match between Australia and Afghanistan sees Australia advancing to the semifinals of the Champions Trophy 2025 with 4 points. Afghanistan’s future hinges on the South Africa vs. England match, where their hopes of qualification depend on potential Net Run Rate calculations. With solid performances from Travis Head and significant contributions from Afghanistan’s batsmen, the tournament remains competitive as the situation evolves.
Original Source: sports.ndtv.com
