Afghanistan’s Route to Champions Trophy 2025 Semi-Finals Relies on…

Afghanistan’s qualification for the Champions Trophy 2025 semi-finals hinges on England’s upcoming match against South Africa after a rainout against Australia. Afghanistan scored 273 in their last game but must rely on England winning by 207 runs or chasing a target quickly to remain in contention.

Afghanistan faces a challenging path to qualify for the Champions Trophy 2025 semi-finals following a rain-induced washout against Australia. This Group B match was abandoned during Australia’s innings, confirming their spot in the semi-finals while leaving Afghanistan on the brink of elimination. To keep their hopes alive, Afghanistan requires England to secure a victory over South Africa by a considerable margin, specifically by 207 runs if England bats first, or to successfully chase a target of 274 within 11.1 overs if they bat second.

In their last match, Afghanistan managed to score 273 runs in 50 overs, thanks to notable performances from Sediqullah Atal, who contributed 85 runs, and Azmatullah Omarzai, who added 67 runs. Despite their efforts, Australia’s innings began strongly, reaching 109 for 1 in just over 12 overs before the match was halted. Ben Dwarshuis led Australia’s bowling attack with three wickets, while Adam Zampa and Spencer Johnson supported with a pair of wickets each.

Following the match, Afghanistan’s captain, Hashmatullah Shahidi expressed his disappointment regarding the result, stating, “Unfortunate that the game went without a result. Was a good game. I think we should have scored 300+ but they bowled well in the middle overs.” He praised the performance of his players, particularly Atal and Omarzai, acknowledging the difficulties faced throughout the tournament and suggesting optimism for their potential qualification based on the outcome of England’s match against South Africa.

Afghanistan’s chances of qualifying for the Champions Trophy 2025 semi-finals are slim and depend heavily on England’s performance against South Africa. Following a rain-out against Australia, the team must rely on a significant victory margin from England or a rapid chase to keep their hopes alive. Captain Shahidi remains hopeful despite the setback.

Original Source: www.hindustantimes.com