Lahore: The concluding stages of Group B in the ongoing Champions Trophy 2025 are set to unfold as Afghanistan faces off against Australia at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Friday. Both teams are competing for a coveted spot in the semi-finals, elevating the stakes of this match.
Their recent encounters in ICC tournaments have been thrilling, adding an extra layer of excitement to this clash.
During the 2023 Men's Cricket World Cup, a standout performance by Glenn Maxwell secured a victory for Australia. Conversely, Afghanistan managed to claim a win against Australia in a nail-biting match at last year's Men's T20 World Cup.
Both teams have recently achieved victories over England, raising the question of how they will perform against each other.
Recent form:
Afghanistan: The team's recent performance has been inconsistent, but they will approach the match against Australia with renewed confidence following their victory over England on Wednesday. This win came after a significant 107-run defeat to South Africa in their opening match of the tournament. Prior to the Champions Trophy, Afghanistan demonstrated their capabilities by winning their last four bilateral series against Ireland, South Africa, Bangladesh, and Zimbabwe.
Australia: The Australian team kicked off their tournament with a dramatic win against England, but their anticipated match against South Africa was washed out due to rain. Entering the Champions Trophy, Australia has shown signs of vulnerability, having been outperformed in a two-match series against Sri Lanka, where they lost 2-0. The team is striving to advance deep into the tournament despite the absence of their elite bowling trio—Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood—who are unavailable for various reasons.
Players to Watch:
Afghanistan: Ibrahim Zadran
Ibrahim Zadran, Afghanistan's standout opening batsman, cannot be overlooked following his remarkable innings of 177 runs off 146 balls, which propelled his team to a win against England. While Afghanistan's batting order has become more robust in recent years, Ibrahim continues to be a key player for the squad. With Australia's bowling lineup lacking in experience, this encounter is set to be crucial.
Australia: Spencer Johnson
As Afghanistan is likely to bat first, the significance of top-order runs cannot be understated. Australia's opening bowlers have a critical role to play in securing a victory. After a challenging performance of 0/54 in seven overs against England, Johnson will be eager to improve his performance, particularly with the aim of dismissing the aforementioned Ibrahim.
Squads:
Afghanistan: Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Ikram Alikhil, Gulbadin Naib, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, AM Ghazanfar, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Farid Malik, Naveed Zadran.
Australia: Steve Smith (c), Sean Abbott, Alex Carey, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Aaron Hardie, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Tanveer Sangha, Matthew Short, Adam Zampa.
