Afghanistan Champions Trophy 2025 run comes to an end

Australia Qualify for Semi-Finals After Rain Stops Play in Lahore. Afghanistan’s Champions Trophy 2025 run comes to an end. Australia secured a place in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 semi-finals after their match against Afghanistan was abandoned due to rain. The game in Lahore ended with Australia at 109/1 in the 13th over while chasing 274.

Travis Head played aggressively scoring 59 runs off 40 balls. He was well supported by Steve Smith who was unbeaten on 19. Earlier, Matt Short had fallen for 20 edging a delivery from Azmatullah Omarzai to Gulbadin Naib. Rashid Khan had a chance to dismiss Head early but he dropped the catch when Head was on 6. With rain stopping further play the match was abandoned. As a result Australia advanced to the semi-finals.

Afghanistan batted first after captain Hashmatullah Shahidi won the toss. They put up a competitive 273 before being bowled out. Sediqullah Atal was their top scorer making 85 runs before Spencer Johnson dismissed him.

Johnson struck early removing Rahmanullah Gurbaz in the first over with just three runs on the board. Ibrahim Zadran and Sediqullah then steadied the innings. Zadran scored 22 before Marnus Labuschagne caught him off Adam Zampa’s bowling. Rahmat Shah followed soon after caught behind off Glenn Maxwell’s delivery.

Sediqullah continued to anchor the innings alongside Shahidi but the captain struggled scoring 20 from 49 balls before falling to Zampa. Afghanistan’s middle order crumbled with Mohammad Nabi run out for 1 and Gulbadin dismissed for 4.

Azmatullah Omarzai and Rashid Khan put up a strong resistance for the eighth wicket. They added 36 runs in quick time. Rashid played a brief but entertaining innings scoring 19 before Ben Dwarshuis got him out. Omarzai continued his fine form scoring 67 before Alex Carey caught him off Dwarshuis’s bowling. Noor Ahmad was the last wicket to fall dismissed on the final ball. Australia’s fielding was not at its best as they gave away 37 extras. Despite this their strong batting lineup and rain intervention helped them qualify for the semi-finals.

Australia had earlier won a record breaking chase against England but shared points with South Africa due to rain. They now lead Group B alongside South Africa both with three points.

Afghanistan had a mixed tournament. They lost to South Africa by 107 runs but bounced back with a stunning win over England eliminating the defending champions. However their semi-final hopes ended after the washed-out match against Australia.

Now Australia await their next opponent in the semi-finals while Afghanistan’s Champions Trophy 2025 run comes to an end.