Australia have qualified for the semi-finals of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 following a rain-truncated encounter against Afghanistan. The match was abandoned after rain stopped play while Australia were on 109/1 in their chase, with Travis Head playing a dominant knock of 59 off 40 balls and Steve Smith on 19.
Head had a lucky escape earlier when Rashid Khan dropped him on 6, but the rain proved to be the final factor, leading to Australia progressing to the next stage.
Afghanistan’s Battling Total
Earlier, Afghanistan posted 273 all out, with Sediqullah Atal top-scoring with 85 before being dismissed by Spencer Johnson. Australia’s bowling attack, led by Johnson, Zampa, and Maxwell, created early breakthroughs, reducing Afghanistan to 91/3. Atal’s half-century and a solid partnership with captain Hashmatullah Shahidi appeared to stabilize the innings.
READ MORE: Jos Buttler Resigns as England’s White-Ball Captain After Champions Trophy Exit
However, Shahidi’s dismissal for 20 brought the tail in quickly, with Afghanistan losing wickets steadily. Rashid Khan contributed 19, while Azmatullah Omarzai fought hard with 67. Afghanistan benefitted from 37 extras, but they still managed to post a competitive total.
Australia’s Rain-Interrupted Chase
Australia’s chase started well, with Head leading the charge, but the rain truncated the match before they could reach their target, sealing their qualification for the semi-finals.
This result comes after Afghanistan’s stunning victory over England in the previous game, which knocked England out and allowed Australia to secure the second qualification spot from Group B.
Teams
Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi.
Australia: Matthew Short, Travis Head, Steve Smith (c), Marnus Labuschagne, Josh Inglis, Alex Carey, Glenn Maxwell, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Spencer Johnson.
