Australia booked their place in the ICC Champions Trophy semi-finals after persistent rain in Lahore led to their Group B match against Afghanistan ending without a result on Friday. The washout handed Australia four points from three games, confirming their spot in the final four.
Afghanistan, on the other hand, find themselves in a precarious situation with three points from as many matches. Their semi-final hopes now rest on England, who are already eliminated, pulling off a big win over South Africa in Karachi on Saturday. With Afghanistan’s net run rate at -0.99 compared to South Africa’s 2.14, a significant England victory is their only route into the knockout stage.
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Before rain interrupted play, Australia were well placed at 109/1 in 12.5 overs while chasing a target of 274. Travis Head was unbeaten on 59, alongside Steve Smith on 19. Opener Matthew Short contributed 20 before falling, but as heavy showers drenched the Gaddafi Stadium and water pooled on the outfield, the umpires called off the match.
Afghanistan had earlier posted 273 all out in 50 overs, thanks to Sediqullah Atal’s 85 and Azmatullah Omarzai’s 67. Captain Hashmatullah Shahidi remained hopeful that England could do his side a favour by defeating South Africa convincingly to help Afghanistan sneak into the semi-finals.
South Africa eye semis berth against struggling England
South Africa will look to cement their place in the semi-finals when they face England in Karachi on Saturday. With Australia already through, the Proteas have their destiny in their own hands, needing just a favorable result to progress. A comprehensive win over Afghanistan by 107 runs earlier in the tournament has given them a strong net run rate advantage.
For England, the tournament has been nothing short of a disaster, with their latest eight-run defeat to Afghanistan sealing their early exit. Their reliance on Joe Root has exposed glaring weaknesses in the squad, and they will need a miraculous turnaround to dent South Africa’s campaign.
India vs New Zealand to finalise semi-final lineup
While the battle in Group B is heating up, India and New Zealand will face off in Dubai on Sunday to determine the final semi-final lineup. Both teams have already secured progression from Group A, but the match will decide the seedings. The top team in Group A will play the second-placed team in Group B in the semi-finals.
Regardless of the result, India will feature in the first semi-final in Dubai on March 4, while the second semi-final will be held in Lahore on March 5. With form and momentum on the line, the clash between India and New Zealand is expected to be a thrilling contest, setting the stage for the business end of the tournament.
