By our correspondent
LAHORE: Australia made it to the semi-finals with four points when their last Group B game of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 against Afghanistan was abandoned due to wet outfield.
Both teams shared one point each.
Chasing 274 when Australia reached 109-1 in 12.5 overs the game was stopped due to rain at 7pm.
As per rules Australia needed to play minimum 20 overs but it could not be made possible. The outfield and bowling zones were not properly dried up despite effort. The big issue was that there was only one super sopper for drying up the pitch and it took a lot of time.
Chasing 274 Australia had in mind the approaching rain and they tried to go after the bowlers right from the start.
Matthew Short and Travis Head, both dropped in the start, gave a flying 44-run start to Australia in 4.3 overs. Azmatullah Omarzai broke the stand by removing Short, held in the deep by Gulbadin Naib, for a 15-ball 20 which had three hours and a six.
Travis Head continued with his aggressive approach, reaching his 17th ODI fifty in 34 balls.
Head was on 59 not out off 40 balls and skipper Steve Smith was on 19 not out when rain interrupted the show.
Head had hit one six and nine fours from 40 balls while Smith had hammered two fours from 22 deliveries.
Omarzai got 1-43 in five overs while left-armer Fazalhaq Farooqi conceded 32 runs in three overs.
Earlier after opting to bat first following a wet few hours due to overnight heavy rain Afghanistan had to face deep trouble in initial few overs with pacers Ben Dwarshuis and Spencer Johnson producing bounce and swing which troubled the batsmen.
Sediqullah Atal (85) and Azmatullah Omarzai (67) were the key in Afghanistan’s batting journey which at times was seen dented due to wickets fall at regular intervals. Atal did well in the middle overs and Omarzai took charge in the final overs after settling down.
Sediqullah’s 95-ball 85 featured three sixes and six hours.
After Afghanistan lost their opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz (0) once again cheaply, Sediqullah added 67 for the second wicket stand with Ibrahim Zadran who was removed by leggie Adam Zampa in his first over. Zadran, who had hit record 177 against England in the previous game, struck two fours in his 28-ball 22. Spinner Glenn Maxwell soon had the wicket of Rahmat Shah (12) to leave Afghanistan at 81-3 in the 19th over.
However, at this stage well-set Sediqullah dominated the 68 runs partnership for the fourth wicket with skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi before Sediqullah was removed by pacer Spencer Johnson to dent Afghanistan’s hopes of posting a big total.
Following his departure Afghanistan lost Hashmatullah Shahidi (20) before Mohammad Nabi getting run out for just one to leave Afghans reeling at 182-6 in the 37th over.
Pacer Nathan Ellis then removed Gulbadin Naib (4) who skied it and keeper Josh Inglis taking an easy catch.
Rashid Khan used long handle, scoring 17-ball 19 with two fours to give Afghanistan hope of posting a fighting total.
He was removed by pacer Ben Dwarshuis, held by Glenn Maxwell, in the deep.
Azmatullah Omarzai, who brought in his eighth fifty off 54 balls, went after the bowlers in final overs and hammered five sixes and one four in his 63-ball 67 which enabled Afghans to reach a good total. Pacer Ben Dwarshuis (3-47) was highly impressive with the ball while his new-ball partner Spencer Johnson (2-59 in 10) and leggie Adam Zampa (2-48 in 8) were the others who bowled well.
On Saturday South Africa face England at the National Karachi in their last Group B show. The Proteas also have three points but they have a very good net run-rate. Afghanistan (3 points) is now on the brink of elimination.
