Champions Trophy 2025 | LIVE BLOG: Australia vs Afghanistan

The groundsmen hurry up in order to position the covers. The forecast today was for a 25% possibility of rain. The silver lining is that there’s a strong wind blowing across the stadium which may drive the drizzle away.

Well, as I type, it has picked up pace. We have an hour’s time before we start losing overs. Mind you, if it’s a no result, Australia will be through to the semi-finals on the virtue of their better NRR.

An enforcer with a bit-match temperament, Head raises his bat and soaks in the applause from his mates. He’s put Afghanistan under immense pressure with his freewheeling strokeplay, although they’ve aided his ascent a great deal by letting him off on 6.

Mohammad Nabi was outstanding in the PowerPlay against South Africa and England. Can he tighten the screws today? Afghanistan desperately need him to because Head is going bonkers. Three consecutive boundaries off Omarzai, who’s leaked 43 runs in his five overs hitherto.

Pommie Mbangwa mentions on air that there’s a big news coming in from the English camp! Jos Buttler has officially stepped down from ODI captaincy.

A shortish ball on off, Matthew Short pulls it flat and hard towards deep square leg. The fielder crouches low and gets his hands in place but spills it. He is indicating that he didn’t pick it up due to the lights in the background. No excuses for dropping that one though, that was as easy a catch as they come at the international level.

Thankfully for Afghanistan, they’ve managed to make amends for one of their two mistakes already in the field. Short eyes a whip but is early into the shot. Ends up proffering a leading edge to mid-on. Naib backtracks, keeps his eyes on the ball and takes a well-judges catch near his shoulders. Much-needed respite!

Rashid Khan is usually safe as houses but he’d dropped two important catches recently. He put down Jofra Archer at the back end of the England innings, and has now given the dangerous Travis Head a reprieve. The blistering southpaw is definitely not a player you want to be offering second chances to.

Australia are flying in reply to Afghanistan’s 273, having raced to 42 in just four overs without any loss. 14 of those came in the second over of Omarzai as Matthew Short feasted on his medium pace.

Omarzai walks back for a brilliant 67 off 63 balls. A short delivery that angles across, grips the surface a wee bit. He looks to cut it away and hits it in the air. Not enough power behind the shot as sweeper cover makes no mistake. It has been a stellar knock from the talismanic all-rounder and the spin-heavy Afghanistan would like to believe they have enough on the board to give Australia a genuine fight.

There has been rain around Lahore and Adam Zampa took two wickets. The ball should grip and turn a bit more in the second innings owing to the underlying moisture as well as natural deterioration. It’s game on!

Lusty blow! Dollops of bottom hand power on that from Omarzai. Stays deep in his crease, waits for this slower back of length ball to arrive and thumps it over deep mid-wicket for a maximum. It is the longer part of the ground as well. Commendable hitting.

Hang on, he sends another one into the orbit. Once again pace off and short. Was wide outside off to boot. Omarzai rocks back in the crease and swipes through the line to dispatch it over long-off. This is seriously skillful batting. Afghanistan are now in the vicinity of 280.

Oh, no. We won’t be seeing a trademark Rashid Khan cameo. He perishes for 19 off 17 balls off Dwarshuis as Afghanistan struggle to break free from Australia’s vigorous grasp.

Azmatullah, however, is still packing a punch and has even accomplished the milestone of 1000 ODI runs in the process, the second quickest Afghan to the mark after 971 balls by Rashid. He is approaching a run-a-ball fifty! Three sixes in his knock so far.

Azmatullah Omarzai is throwing some punches even as Australia keep a check on the scoring rate by removing the muscular Gulbadin Naib. He cleared his front leg and went for a big heave across the line only to get a top edge that ballooned in the air as the keeper settled underneath.

Will we see the pyrotechnics of Rashid Khan with the bat?

An episode of miscommunication led to the departure of the experienced Mohammad Nabi while Zampa added another wicket to his tally by claiming the captain Hashmatullah Shahidi. We are approaching the business end of the innings and Afghanistan would do well to reach 250 from here, now that Australia has broken into the tail.

Australia ensure the gaffe doesn’t cost them dearly. Excellent catch by Steve Smith. Spencer Johnson hit a length and kept it wide of off stump. Sediqullah tried to punch on the rise and ended up chipping it off the toe end of the bat, Smith, at cover, dives forward and snaffles the ball inches above the turf.

A good length delivery from Nathan Ellis wobbles in late and pings the well-set Sediqullah in front of middle and leg stump. Was that going over? Did that pitch outside leg?

Australia converge to make a decision but decide against reviewing. Guess what, the ball-tracking has shown three reds. It pitched in line and was gonna hit the top of off.

Huge moment in the game!

Sediqullah is growing in confidence and hitting them clean as a whistle now! Rushes down the wicket, gets close to the delivery and launches it high and handsome over the fielder at long-off.

This resembles a home game for Afghanistan, by the way, given the overwhelmingly pro-Afghanistan crowd, with lots of republic flags and painted faces visible. Since Pakistan has crashed out, the local loyalties seem to be gravitating towards Afghanistan.

Adam Zampa has gone off the field. Jake Fraser-McGurk is substituting for him. Looks like the leg-spinner has had a niggle.

Wickets have tumbled around him but Sediqullah has managed to keep Afghanistan going from his end. Dances down the wicket to Maxwell, gets close to the pitch of the delivery and mauls it many a mile over wide long-on.

Afghanistan had only just broken a streak of 45 dots and a wicket has fallen. It’s been that kind of an innings for the Asian side so far, devoid of momentum.

Maxwell darts it and gets the ball to grip away from a fullish length. Rahmat was on the back foot fancying a late dab. Gets a feather and Inglis shows good reflexes behind the stumps.

Afghanistan’s centurion in the last game has failed to produce an encore. Big wicket for Australia! Short and wide, turning away slowly, Ibrahim Zadran reaches out and chops at it. The connection isn’t clean as the ball lobs towards backward point. Marnus Labuschagne budges to his right and reverse cups it with ease. Adam Zampa has delivered the goods in his first over.

Poor ball and duly punished! Full ball drifting towards the pads, Sediqullah Atal flicks it with elan and it trickles down the fine leg fence.

In the previous over, Ibrahim Zadran, the talk of the town, read the slower ball to perfection. He stood tall and slapped it through extra cover to find the fence.

Lovely stroke! That will do Sediqullah Atal’s confidence a world of good! Fractionally overpitched outside off, he leans towards the line of the ball and allows his hands to flow through. Milks the drive through covers.

Four slips in play waiting for the outside edge, nonetheless.

Both Ben Dwarshuis and Johnson are making the ball hoop around the corners. Sediqullah Atal hasn’t looked at ease at all, as a consequence. Meanwhile, 12 runs came off the third over of the innings, the bulk of them extras.

Castled by an absolute ripper! Johnson is ecstatic while Gurbaz is standing there in awe. A devilish yorker on off at 140.7kph, tails in late, Gurbaz is defeated by the sheer pace as well as the sudden movement. Tries to bunt it out but is late in bringing his bat down. Off-stump dislodged. It’s been an underwhelming tournament for the supremely talented opener.

Australia (Playing XI): Matthew Short, Travis Head, Steven Smith(c), Marnus Labuschagne, Josh Inglis, Alex Carey(w), Glenn Maxwell, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Spencer Johnson

Afghanistan (Playing XI): Rahmanullah Gurbaz(w), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi(c), Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi