Australia book semi-final spot after rain washes out Afghanistan clash

• Australia finish with four points in three matches
• Becomes first team to qualify for final four from Group B.
• Afghanistan's chances depends on England-South Africa fixture. 

LAHORE: Australia secured their place in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 semi-finals after their crucial clash against Afghanistan was washed out due to rain at the Gaddafi Stadium on Friday. 

Australia, who started their campaign with a stunning victory over arch-rivals England, finished with four points as their remaining two matches ended in no results.

The two-time champions, as a result, became the first team to qualify for the Final Four from Group B, while Afghanistan are not all but out of the tournament even if England beat South Africa on Saturday as the Asian side are well behind the Proteas in terms of net run rate. 

When the rain intervened, Australia were 109/1 in 12.5 overs with Travis Head and skipper Steve Smith unbeaten on 59 and 19 respectively.

Australian openers Matthew Short and Travis Head came out all guns blazing while chasing 274 as they put together a brisk 44-run stand until in-form Azmatullah Omarzai gave Afghanistan a breakthrough by dismissing the former.

Short scored 20 off 15 deliveries with the help of three fours and a six.

Head then partnered with Smith to maintain Australia's high-flying start, adding an unbeaten 63-run partnership for the second wicket until rain halted the proceedings.

Batting first, Afghanistan were bowled out for 273 in 50 overs, courtesy of half-centuries from Omarzai and Sediqullah Atal.

Omarzai scored a crucial 67 off 63 runs with the help of one boundary and five sixes after Sediqullah Atal’s 85 had laid the foundation, helping Afghanistan recover from mid-innings setbacks.

Afghanistan got off to a shaky start to their innings as Spencer Johnson cleaned up Rahmanullah Gurbaz on the fifth delivery of the match.

Following the early hiccup, Atal joined in-form Ibrahim Zadran in the middle and launched recovery.

The duo shared an important 67-run until Adam Zampa provided a much-needed breakthrough to Australia in the 14th over by getting Zadran caught at backward point.

The right-handed opener scored 22 off 28 deliveries with the help of two boundaries.

Afghanistan then suffered another blow as Rahmat Shah (12) fell victim to Glenn Maxwell in the 19th over, bringing the total down to 91/3.

Atal then put together a one-sided 68-run partnership for the fourth wicket with skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi before finally walking back in the 32nd over.

He remained the top-scorer for Afghanistan with a 95-ball 85, comprised of six fours and three sixes.

His dismissal sparked a brief middle-order collapse which saw Afghanistan losing three wickets in quick succession and as a result, had slipped to 199/7 in 40 overs.

But a timely half-century from in-form all-rounder Omarzai bolstered Afghanistan to a formidable total.

He also shared a handy 36-run partnership for the eighth wicket with Rashid Khan, who made a 17-ball 19.

For Australia, Ben Dwarshuis took three scalps while Johnson and Zampa picked up two wickets each. Glenn Maxwell and Nathan Ellis made one scalp apiece.

The match was a critical one for both sides as a victory would steer the winning side into the semi-finals. 

On Wednesday, the Afghans kept their dream alive in a nerve-wracking encounter against England, beating them by eight runs. Aussies, on the other hand battered England to chase the mammoth 351-run target, the highest ever score in Champions Trophy’s history.

Afghanistan and Australia have faced each other in ODI cricket four times, with the Kangaroos emerging victorious on all four occasions. The Afghan team is yet to claim a victory against them.