Australia vs Afghanistan Highlights, ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Australia qualify for semis after AFG game abandoned

Australia vs Afghanistan Live Score, ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Lahore has proven to be a dream batting track, and that might be slightly complicated in overcast conditions today. Nevertheless, the winning captain will still likely opt to chase, especially Australia following their success.

Australia vs Afghanistan Live Score, ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Both Steven Smith and Marnus Labuschagne go under the radar in this era of hard-hitting ODI cricket, but as mentioned earlier, how Australia fare against spin will be a key battle. Two of the finer players of spin, how this pair handles Rashid and company could make or break the game.

Australia vs Afghanistan Live Score, ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Travis Head's quiet performance means he has gone somewhat under the radar, but he does enter this tournament as one of the most in-form and terrifying batters, capable of giving his team big scores at incredible scoring rates. Keep an eye out for him in this game, where he will look to make a statement.

Australia vs Afghanistan Live Score, ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Just an hour away from the scheduled time for the toss. We will keep you updated about whether it is taking place on time or will be delayed. Here's hoping for a full game of cricket in Lahore.

Australia vs Afghanistan Live Score, ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Maxwell might be Australia's go-to man when the going gets tough, but the 2024 ODI Player of the Year Azmat Omarzai might be Afghanistan's, with bat or with ball. To take a five-fer is one incredible feat: to do so by dismissing the opposition's best batters is entirely another.

Omarzai was one punished by Maxwell in Wankhede. He will be out for revenge, and the form he is in, that's the contest to watch.

Australia vs Afghanistan Live Score, ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Lahore experienced heavy rain overnight, with showers in the morning as well, which will keep the groundstaff at the Gaddafi Stadium busy through the afternoon trying to prepare the ground for the start.

The good news is that the chance of rain is expected to decrease to 20% around the time of toss, and keep decreasing after that. With toss under 90 minutes away, though, it's a race against time to have it take place on time.

Australia vs Afghanistan Live Score, ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Australia's batting, however, remains fearsome, with names such as Travis Head, Steven Smith, and now Josh Inglis proving his worth. Australia were fantastic in the middle overs vs England, but face a team with far more weapons. A lot on the shoulders of Rashid Khan and Noor Ahmad.

Australia vs Afghanistan Live Score, ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Australia will be considering themselves fairly fortunate that England's middle order implosions meant they were chasing 350 instead of 400+ in their one complete game. Without their three-headed pace monster at their disposal, it's a very inexperienced bowling group.

This is the match where they need to find their groove, against a more forgiving batting order. If they face India or New Zealand in the semis without the bowling clicking… that could spell trouble.

Australia vs Afghanistan Live Score, ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Bowling is definitely Afghanistan's strong suit, but the batting needs to step up if they have intentions of taking this tournament a step further. Zadran has performed, as have players like Omarzai and Nabi lower down the batting. But to beat Australia, you can't rely on a few individuals.

The Afghani top order hasn't shown themselves in Pakistan yet. If they wish to extend their stay, that's a change they must make.

Australia vs Afghanistan Live Score, ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Simply put, a candidate for the greatest ODI innings of all time, and a hard one to argue against. Chasing 292, Australia found themselves at 91/7 against Afghanistan, and Afghanistan looked ready to script a famous victory.

They really should have won that match, but it felt as if Maxwell elevated himself to a plane beyond anything any batter has ever been. To win from that situation was sensational. That innings can be seen as the one that spurred Australia on to eventually lift the trophy.

A fraction of the greatness we saw that day, and this will still be a can't-miss game of cricket.

Australia vs Afghanistan Live Score, ICC Champions Trophy 2025: There's not too much to go off in terms of head-to-head in this match-up. These teams have only played four times across 13 years, and Australia have won every single time — but there's only so much you can read into their wins in 2012, 2015, and 2019.

There is, of course, that famous win at the Wankhede. Let's revisit that next.

Australia vs Afghanistan Live Score, ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Ibrahim Zadran's 177 to help Afghanistan recover from being 37-3 against England is one of the finest ODI innings in recent memory, almost carrying his bat as he helped his team to a score in excess of 300.

He also already has an ICC tournament century against Australia. Remember that one? It might have been slightly overshadowed by Glenn Maxwell hitting a double century on one leg.

Australia vs Afghanistan Live Score, ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Their opponents for today, meanwhile, kept themselves alive in their debut CT campaign by pulling off a famous victory against England. Thanks to a 177 by Ibrahim Zadran and a five-fer by Azmat Omarzai, Afghanistan managed to pull off a win despite Joe Root looking in supreme touch during the chase. Excellent result, and momentum is with them now.

Australia vs Afghanistan Live Score, ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Australia sit on three points in this tournament, thanks to their win against England and split points against South Africa. Even if they lose today, they stand a chance of qualifying — but would require England to hammer South Africa. No Aussie will want to leave their fate in the hands of the English, that is as certain as certain can be.

Australia vs Afghanistan Live Score, ICC Champions Trophy 2025: We have already lost two games in this tournament to complete washouts due to rain, and it's a possibility in Lahore today as well.

Thankfully, much of the rain is expected in the morning, and is likely to ease up later in the day. Hopefully it doesn't impede play today, but we will keep you updated.

Australia vs Afghanistan Live Score, ICC Champions Trophy 2025: It’s crunch time in the Champions Trophy! In a match that is essentially a quarterfinal to see who progresses and who gets knocked out, Lahore will play host to this contest between Australia and Afghanistan, a rematch of the memorable Glenn Maxwell Match in Mumbai.

Drama is a certainty today as well. Stick with us.