Champions Trophy: Australia into semi-finals as match against Afghanistan abandoned following rain
Australia is eligible for the semi-finals of the championship trophy at the expense of Afghanistan as their match in Lahore was abandoned after heavy rain.
The 85-shot creation by Sediqullah Atal helped Afghanistan announce a competitive, if not particularly threatening, one of 273 shots on another hit-friendly ground at the Gaddafi Stadium.
His 95 innings included three sixes and six quarters, while Azmatullah Omarzai contributed 67 active 67 goals in 63 balls, hitting five sixes.
Ben Dwarshuis became the draft pick for Australian bowlers with a 3-47 record, while left-arm companions Spencer Johnson and Leg-Spinner Adam Zampa each won two wickets.
Perhaps focusing on the weather forecast, and the total number of possible revisions under the Duckworth Lewis-Western approach, Australia really intends to start chasing.
Opening game Travis Head rode on luck and punished Rashid Khan to get off at the start of the fourth time Fazalhaq Farooqi, who started at the age of six, and to get the next ball to the maximum by whipping Afghanistan quickly onto the rope.
Head played 59 out of 40 balls and required 165 runs in 37.1 points, and he and Steve Smith played well against Australia, then the pool in the downpour of the lower left pool was in the outfield and the conditions couldn’t play.
The result means Australia has four points and will be the winner of Group B if England beat South Africa on Saturday.
Afghanistan can still make it to the semifinals mathematically, but England will need a huge victory to enable them to overhaul the net run rate of proteins.
If South Africa wins – or if their match is eliminated – they will improve with the team winners, Australia will be runner-up.
Preparation days for both the semi-finals and finals.
