AFG vs AUS Today Live | Rain Halts Australia's Chase as Afghanistan Eyes an Upset | ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Afghanistan vs Australia

Rain played spoilsport as the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 clash between Afghanistan and Australia ended without a result in Lahore. Afghanistan posted a competitive 273 in 50 overs, with Sediqullah Atal (85) and Azmatullah Omarzai (67) leading the charge. Australia started aggressively, reaching 109/1 in 12.5 overs before rain stopped play. Travis Head was unbeaten on 59, and Steven Smith was on 19. The washout ensured Australia's qualification for the semi-finals, while Afghanistan's hopes now rest on England securing a massive win over South Africa.

Short Scorecard

Afghanistan: 273 all out (50 overs)

• Sediqullah Atal – 85 (96), Azmatullah Omarzai – 67 (35)
• Ben Dwarshuis – 3/47, Spencer Johnson – 2/49

Australia: 109/1 (12.5 overs) – Match abandoned due to rain

• Travis Head – 59* (40), Steven Smith – 19* (22)
• Azmatullah Omarzai – 1/30

Result: No result (Match abandoned due to rain)
Australia qualify for the semi-finals.

Rain Interrupts Australia’s Chase Against Afghanistan in Lahore | ICC Champions Trophy 2025

The 10th match of Group B in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 between Afghanistan and Australia took an unexpected turn as rain stopped play at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. With Australia cruising at 109/1 in just 12.5 overs, the heavens opened up, leaving cricket fans in suspense as ground staff scrambled to clear the outfield. As things stand, Australia needs 165 more runs to secure victory, but with the possibility of overs being lost, the chase remains uncertain.

Afghanistan’s Competitive First Innings Effort

Batting first after winning the toss, Afghanistan put up a competitive total of 273 in their allotted 50 overs. Despite an early setback with the loss of Rahmanullah Gurbaz for a duck, Afghanistan found stability in Sediqullah Atal, who played a crucial knock of 85 off 96 balls. Azmatullah Omarzai provided late fireworks with a quickfire 67 off 35 deliveries, pushing Afghanistan to a respectable total. Contributions from Rahmat Shah (12), Hashmatullah Shahidi (20), and Rashid Khan (19) ensured the innings had depth. However, the innings lacked a solid partnership, with wickets falling at regular intervals.

Australia’s bowling attack had its fair share of success, with Spencer Johnson leading the charge, claiming 2 wickets for 49 runs. Ben Dwarshuis also impressed, picking up 3 wickets for 47 runs, while Adam Zampa and Glenn Maxwell chipped in with two scalps each. Nathan Ellis proved to be expensive but managed to get a crucial breakthrough.

Australia’s Commanding Start to the Chase

Chasing 274, Australia looked comfortable from the outset. Matthew Short provided a fiery start, scoring 20 off 15 balls before being dismissed by Azmatullah Omarzai. However, his departure did little to slow the Australian charge as Travis Head and Steven Smith built a strong partnership. Head played with aggression, smashing 59 off just 40 deliveries at an impressive strike rate of 147.50, while Smith remained steady at the other end with 19 runs off 22 balls.

With Australia scoring at a rapid rate of 8.49 runs per over, they seemed well on track to chase down the target. However, nature had other plans as rain forced the players off the field at 12.5 overs, with the scoreboard reading 109/1.

Rain Brings an Early End and Australia Qualify for the Semis

The umpires had multiple inspections of the outfield, but persistent damp patches and water puddles made conditions unsuitable for play. At 20:50 local time, the match was officially called off, confirming Australia’s qualification for the semi-finals. Afghanistan, however, is left clinging to a faint hope of progressing further.

For Afghanistan to qualify, England must defeat South Africa by at least 207 runs if they bat first. If chasing, they would need to reach their target within 11.1 overs, assuming a first innings total of 300. While mathematically possible, such a scenario remains highly improbable, making Australia and South Africa the likely semi-finalists.

Post-Match Reflections and Road Ahead

Australian captain Steven Smith expressed satisfaction with his team’s performance, stating, "That's what we were after in the start, to finish in the top two and qualify for the semis. The guys did a good job, made good changes, and took wickets in the middle. We restricted them well to 270 and were in a strong position. It’s a shame the game was washed out, but the team is excited for the knockout stage."

Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi reflected on the match, saying, "Unfortunate that the game went without a result. It was a good game. I think we should have scored 300+ but they bowled well in the middle overs. 270 was a good score but we didn't start well with the ball. Gave them too much width and gave them many hitting options. We'll learn from this."

He praised his teammates, especially Sediqullah Atal and Azmatullah Omarzai: "(On Atal) He played really well today, first two games he didn't play the way we expect but his comeback was good. First ICC event for him, he played well under pressure. Omarzai is top class, that's why he got ODI Player of the Year, he always performs for us. He plays a good role, he took a fifer against England and today also he played with a positive intent under pressure."

As for his own performance, Shahidi admitted, "I think today was a bad day for me as a batter. I will speak with the coach later on where I went wrong, it was a slow innings strike rate-wise. Will learn from this. About the tournament, you never know. We still have hopes, hopefully, England wins big."

Final Thoughts

So that's all for today. Afghanistan will be hoping against hope for a miracle tomorrow to still qualify for the semis. Rain, South Africa, and ICC Tournaments have been a cruel combination in the past, after all! Let's see what tomorrow has in store. Bye for now...