Rain interrupted the Afghanistan vs. Australia cricket match, securing Australia’s spot in the semi-finals. Key performances and Smith’s comments detailed.
The cricket match between Afghanistan and Australia in Lahore was abandoned due to rain after Australia reached 109 for 1 in 12.5 overs, chasing Afghanistan’s 273. The match presented momentum swings, with Australia initially facing challenges before finding their footing, while Afghanistan’s innings saw a combination of solid partnerships and quick dismissals.
Match Summary
Afghanistan’s innings was highlighted by Sediqullah Atal’s 85 and Azmatullah Omarzai’s 67. Australia’s bowling lacked consistency, resulting in numerous extra runs conceded. In Australia’s chase, Matthew Short played with a quad injury, and Travis Head contributed a rapid 59*. Afghanistan’s fielding was not up to par, with dropped catches proving costly.
The shared points ensured Australia’s place in the semi-finals, while significantly diminishing Afghanistan’s chances, which were dependent on a substantial defeat of South Africa.
Afghanistan’s Innings
Afghanistan chose to bat first. Johnson dismissed Gurbaz with an inswinging Yorker. Ibrahim Zadran and Atal then formed a partnership before Zadran’s dismissal. Atal continued aggressively, achieving his half-century. Omarzai’s powerful hitting further bolstered Afghanistan’s total, while Australia’s part-time spinner Short bowled effectively.
Controversy
An incident occurred when Inglis appealed for a run-out, but Smith intervened and requested the umpires not to consider the appeal.
Steve Smith’s Post-Match Comments
Australian captain Steve Smith said, “I thought our guys did a good job.” He added, “There were different changes – we tried to keep things simple, and tried to take wickets throughout the middle order. I thought the guys did a good job to restrict them to 270.”
Regarding the extras conceded, Smith noted, “There were a few. Spencer [Johnson] was getting a few balls to swing after the bat today.”
Reflecting on the performance, he stated, “Look, the guys did a good job. We created a few opportunities early on. We could have had a few more wickets up top. It was a good performance and shame we got washed out at the end.”
Addressing Matthew Short’s injury, Smith commented, “I think he’ll be struggling. He wasn’t moving very well and it is probably going to be too quick between games for him to recover.”
Praising Travis Head’s batting, Smith said, “He batted nicely. He hit the middle of the bat consistently. When he’s going like that he’s as good as anyone in the world.”
He concluded by saying, “I think the guys have done a good job. The first objective was to get to the semi-finals. It’s a different beast when you get to the finals.”
Sources: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/live/cgrnp2wwzdyt
https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/icc-champions-trophy-2024-25-1459031/afghanistan-vs-australia-10th-match-group-b-1466423/match-report
https://sports.ndtv.com/icc-champions-trophy-2025/jasprit-bumrah-resumes-bowling-asked-to-play-champions-trophy-2025-semi-final-by-internet-7809333