Lahore, Feb 27: Afghanistan and Australia are set to face off in a high-stakes virtual quarter-final at the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in Lahore on Friday, with both teams vying for a place in the semi-finals.

The stakes could not be higher. The loser of this Group B showdown will likely be eliminated, pending the result of the England-South Africa match in Karachi. However, a win for either side will all but confirm a spot in the semi-finals, where they will face either India or New Zealand.

For years, Afghanistan had been considered an emerging force in world cricket, but their performances over the past few years have ensured that they are no longer seen as mere dark horses. Their stunning win over England on Wednesday night has put them within touching distance of the semi-finals in their maiden Champions Trophy appearance.

Friday’s encounter against Australia will be another opportunity to showcase their credentials on the global stage. Their confidence will be bolstered by their historic triumph over the Aussies in the T20 World Cup last year, where they secured their first-ever victory over the five-time world champions.

That win, along with another crucial win over Bangladesh, knocked Australia out of the tournament and signalled that Afghanistan had arrived as a serious contender in international cricket.

Afghanistan’s batting will once again be led by Ibrahim Zadran, whose magnificent 177-run knock against England is now the highest individual score in Champions Trophy history. With Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Hashmatullah Shahidi providing stability, and the ever-dangerous Rashid Khan leading the spin attack, Afghanistan have all the tools needed to push Australia to the limit.

For Australia, the Champions Trophy presents an opportunity to redeem themselves after a series of mixed performances in ICC events. Although they lifted the 2023 ODI World Cup, their T20 World Cup campaign ended in disappointment, and they are yet to make a mark in this edition of the Champions Trophy.

Australia’s campaign has been hampered by the absence of their star pace trio - Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc - who are missing the tournament due to injury and workload management. Their absence was felt in Australia’s opening game against England, where the bowling attack struggled to contain a 350-plus total. Despite that, Australia managed to chase it down, courtesy of a counterattacking century from Josh Inglis.

Now, with their semi-final hopes on the line, Steve Smith’s side will need their young bowlers - Ben Dwarshuis, Spencer Johnson, and Nathan Ellis - to step up. Adam Zampa, the experienced leg-spinner, will be key in exploiting the conditions in Lahore.

With the bat, Australia boast a formidable lineup, featuring the likes of Travis Head, Smith, Marnus Labuschagne and Glenn Maxwell. Maxwell, in particular, has a history of tormenting Afghanistan, having played one of the greatest ODI innings ever against them in the 2023 ODI World Cup. His breathtaking double-century in Mumbai rescued Australia from the brink of defeat and sent them on their way to another ICC title.

There is a possibility of rain in Lahore on Friday, which could add another layer of complexity to the qualification scenarios. If the match is washed out, Australia will qualify for the semi-finals due to their superior net run rate. Afghanistan, on the other hand, would be left hoping for an unlikely scenario where England thrash South Africa by a massive margin.

However, if the match goes ahead as planned, both teams will be looking to take control of their fate. For Afghanistan, the equation is simple: win and secure a historic semi-final berth. Australia’s hopes of progressing would be virtually shattered if they concede a defeat against Hashmatullah Shahidi’s side. In that case, their only lifeline would be relying on England to beat South Africa by a huge margin, significantly denting the Proteas’ net run rate.

For instance, if Australia fall short by just one run while chasing a 300-run target against Afghanistan, England would then need to secure an 87-run victory over South Africa - while chasing the same total - for the Proteas’ net run rate to drop below Australia’s. While not impossible, it remains highly improbable.

When: February 28, Friday

Where: Gaddafi Stadium

Time: The match is scheduled to begin at 2:30 pm IST while the toss will take place at 2 pm.

Broadcast details: The match will be broadcast live on Star Sports Network.

Live Streaming: The match will be live-streamed on JioHotstar.

Squads:

Australia: Matthew Short, Travis Head, Steven Smith(c), Marnus Labuschagne, Josh Inglis(w), Alex Carey, Glenn Maxwell, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Spencer Johnson, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Aaron Hardie, Sean Abbott, Tanveer Sangha.

Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz(w), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi(c), Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Fareed Ahmad Malik, Ikram Alikhil, Nangeyalia Kharote, Naveed Zadran.

--IANS

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