Champions Trophy: Australia enter semis after clash with Afghanistan abandoned due to rain

Lahore, Feb 28 (IANS) Reigning World Champion Australia are through to the semifinals of the 2025 Champions Trophy after their Group B clash against Afghanistan was abandoned due to rain at the Gaddafi Stadium here on Friday. With this, Australia are through to the last-four stage, while Afghanistan are on the brink of elimination from the competition.

Afghanistan, though, will need a mathematical favour from England, who need to win by a margin of over 207 runs and for South Africa’s net run rate to slip below theirs to enter the semifinals. It’s also the sixth game a game featuring Australia has been abandoned in the Champions Trophy.

The rain stopped play when Australia were at 109/1 in 12.5 overs in their run chase of 274. Travis Head was leading the chase through a quickfire 59 not out off 40 deliveries, with Steve Smith alongside him unbeaten on 19.

But the rain came down with heavy intensity for 30 minutes and left a lot of puddles on the outfield. On-field umpires Alex Wharf and Kumar Dharmasena came out for an inspection at 8:45 pm local time and decided the match would not happen due to wet patches around the bowlers’ run-up from the College End.

Chasing 274, Head and Matthew Short hit five boundaries in the first three overs, including the latter hitting Azmatullah Omarzai for two fours and a six in the second over yielding 14 runs. In the next over, Head was dropped on six when Rashid Khan shelled a chance at mid-on. To rub salt into the wounds, Head whipped Farooqui for four and six, respectively.

Short was then dropped on 19 when substitute fielder Kharote dropped the chance at deep square leg off Omarzai. Two balls later, Short looked to whip, but the leading edge was caught at mid-on and was dismissed for 20.

After Steve Smith hit back-to-back boundaries, Head feasted on favourable lengths from Farooqi and Omarzai, with some powerful boundaries on both sides of the wicket, to get his 17th ODI fifty in just 34 balls. But shortly after that, rain arrived on the 13th over to force both teams off the field, as it had the final say eventually.

Brief scores:

Afghanistan 273 all out in 50 overs (Sediqullah Atal 85, Azmatullah Omarzai 67; Ben Dwarshuis 3-47, Adam Zampa 2-48) against Australia 109/1 in 12.5 overs (Travis Head 59 not out; Azmatullah Omarzai 1-43) – match abandoned due to rain

–IANS

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