Lahore, February 28, 2025 — Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi won the toss and chose to bat first against Australia in a critical Group B encounter of the Champions Trophy, taking place here on Friday. The stakes are high, with the winning team set to secure a place in the tournament's semifinals.
Both teams opted for consistency, fielding unchanged lineups in their quest for qualification.
Afghanistan enters this pivotal match brimming with confidence after a thrilling eight-run victory against England, effectively knocking the defending champions out of the tournament. Australia, meanwhile, shared points with South Africa following their previous match, which was abandoned due to rain.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi.
Australia:
Matthew Short, Travis Head, Steven Smith (c), Marnus Labuschagne, Josh Inglis, Alex Carey (wk), Glenn Maxwell, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Spencer Johnson.
This match is expected to deliver intense cricket, as both teams battle fiercely to claim the semifinal spot and continue their pursuit of the prestigious Champions Trophy title.
Both teams opted for consistency, fielding unchanged lineups in their quest for qualification.
Afghanistan enters this pivotal match brimming with confidence after a thrilling eight-run victory against England, effectively knocking the defending champions out of the tournament. Australia, meanwhile, shared points with South Africa following their previous match, which was abandoned due to rain.
Playing XI:
Afghanistan:Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi.
Australia:
Matthew Short, Travis Head, Steven Smith (c), Marnus Labuschagne, Josh Inglis, Alex Carey (wk), Glenn Maxwell, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Spencer Johnson.
This match is expected to deliver intense cricket, as both teams battle fiercely to claim the semifinal spot and continue their pursuit of the prestigious Champions Trophy title.