After their sensational victory over England, Afghanistan now have a shot at the semi-final berth in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. This now means we have a three-way battle for the semi-final spot between Afghanistan, Australia and South Africa. 

Group B Points table | ICC Champions Trophy

Here is how the scenarios are currently in Group B. 

We can check from the points table that South Africa are leading the Group B now with 3 points and a positive net run rate of 2.140. Meantime, Australia are following them with the same amount of points but a lesser NRR of 0.475. 

On the other hand, Afghanistan are third with 2 points and a negative NRR of -0.990 with England getting knocked out of the tournament already.

Read Also | England vs Australia ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Inglis and Aussie batters chased down biggest target of ICC ODI events

Matches left in Group B

• Australia vs Afghanistan - 28 February 2025 - Lahore
• England vs South Africa - 1st March 2025 - Karachi

How can Afghanistan qualify for semis of Champions Trophy 2025?

As per the current situation, here are the below things that can happen. 

Cricket Australia on Friday announced a 15-member squad for the upcoming Women's ODI World Cup 2025. The Australian team will enter the World Cup under the leadership of experienced wicketkeeper-batsman Alyssa Healy. Left-arm spinner Sophie Molineux and allrounder Georgia Wareham have returned to the squad after recovering from injury.

The seven-time champion Australia is also the defending champion and will look to maintain its dominance in the upcoming competition. This tournament will be jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka from September 30 to November 2.

Also Read: ICC Women's World Cup 2025: Prize money in Women's World Cup sets history, rise of 297 percent from the last edition

Players return from injuries

Sophie Molineux has been out since January due to a knee injury. However, she will not be able to play in the three-match ODI series against India from 14 to 20 September. Darcie Brown and Georgia Wareham also returned to the squad from recent injuries.

Ten of the 15 members named featured in the previous edition of the tournament back in 2022, with skipper Alyssa Healy taking charge of the squad in her third Cricket World Cup.

Australia to begin campaign on October 1

The Australia also includes 10 players who were also part of the last tournament played in 2022. This team also includes experienced players like Ellyse Perry, Beth Mooney, Annabel Sutherland, Tahlia McGrath and Ash Gardner. Australia will begin its campaign against New Zealand in Indore on October 1.

Australia will finalise its preparations for the mega event with three ODIs against hosts India from September 14-20 in New Chandigarh and New Dehli, before opening its Women's ODI World Cup 2025 campaign.

Australia will face each of the other seven nations across the round-robin format, with the top four sides progressing to the semi-finals on October 29 and 30. The Final will be played November 2.

Also Read: ICC Women’s World Cup 2025: Indian squad announced, Shefali Verma not in the team

Women's ODI World Cup 2025: Australia Squad

Alyssa Healy (c), Darcie Brown, Ash Gardner, Kim Garth, Grace Harris, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia McGrath, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham.

Australia and South Africa are playing the 3rd T20I match Today at Cazaly’s Stadium in Cairns, a winner-takes-all contest with the series currently level at 1-1. The Aussies took the opening game by 17 runs, but the Proteas bounced back in style in the second match, defeating the hosts by 53 runs.

With the Australia vs South Africa series tied at 1-1, both sides have everything to play for, but for the Proteas, this contest carries added weight, they are chasing a piece of 16-year-old history.

Also Read: Highest Wicket Taker in Asia Cup History (ODI + T20)

The three-match series result so far

In the Australia vs South Africa first T20I in Darwin, Australia took the early lead thanks to a power-packed 83 from Tim David, who smashed eight sixes to break a 16-year-old record for most sixes by an Aussie in a T20I innings against South Africa. His fireworks ensured a 17-run victory for the hosts.

In the second T20I in Darwin, South Africa roared back spectacularly. Youngster Dewald Brevis produced a breathtaking unbeaten 125 off just 56 balls, the highest T20I score by a South African. Chasing 218, the Proteas cruised home and snapped Australia’s nine-match winning streak in the format.

This sets up a mouth-watering decider, with both teams desperate to close out the series.

The 16-year old history

South Africa has never won a bilateral T20I series in Australia since the two teams first met in the shortest format back in 2006. Every attempt since then has ended in disappointment. Now, with the series tied and momentum on their side, the Proteas have a golden chance to rewrite history. 

For Australia, pride and dominance at home are at stake. Tim David’s heroics in the first game showcased their explosive batting depth, but their bowlers will need to find answers to Brevis’ fearless hitting.

South Africa can rewrite history in Cairns

Australia won the toss and opted to bowl first in Cairns, hoping to exploit the conditions under lights. South Africa, brimming with confidence after their record chase, will look to put runs on the board and apply scoreboard pressure.

A historic first-ever T20I series win on Australian soil beckons for South Africa. For the Aussies, it’s about reasserting their dominance at home and denying the Proteas a slice of history.

Also Read: Highest Run Scorer in Asia Cup History (ODI + T20)

Every Australia vs South Africa T20I series Results

The Nation England has produced some extraordinary Batsmen in Cricket. They have impressed Cricket fans from all over the world with their achievements and glory. The test is considered the Best Format in Cricket. England has & had some players who are the best among many in the world of Test Cricket. Sir Jack Hobbs is considered the Best Test Batsman for England in Tests. He has scored 5410 runs in just 102 innings with 15 centuries and 28 half-centuries.

In recent times of greats, Joe Root has proven himself one of the greatest if not the greatest for England in Test Format as he has every right due to his achievements. Now, Let's give a look at the list of the Top 5 Batsmen with the most test centuries for England.

Read Also: Most International Hundreds among Active Players

Top 5 Batsmen with the Most Test Centuries for England:

1. Joe Root | 38 Centuries

England batter Joe Root has written his name in the history books for England in Test Format by bringing up his 38th Test hundred on the third day of the fourth Test between England and India in Manchester. With this century, Root also climbed to second on the all time list of Test run-scorers. Moreover, he also overtook Graham Gooch as the highest run-scorer at Lord's in international cricket. 

Root made his debut in 2012 against team India and since then he has played 157* test matches. He has scored 13,409 runs with an average of 51.17.

2. Alastair Cook | 33 Centuries

Alastair Cook was one of the greats in Test Cricket of his generation. He made his debut against India in 2006 for the national team in Test Cricket. Cook played 161 Test matches in which he batted 291 innings. He scored 12,472 runs with an average of 45.35. His highest score was 294 and he made 33 centuries and 57 half-centuries for his team. Cook played his last Test Match against India in 2018.

3. Kevin Pietersen | 23 Centuries

Kevin Pietersen has proved himself across every format for England. He made his Test debut in 2005 against the Australian side at Lords. Pietersen played 104 test matches, in which he scored 8181 runs with an average of 47.29. He played his last test match against Australia in 2014. Kevin Pietersen is third on the list with 23 Centuries.

4. Wally Hammond | 22 Centuries

The judgment of cricket history is that the greatest batsmen the game has known are - WG Grace, Jack Hobbs, Walter Hammond, and Don Bradman. Others may come close indeed to those four but do not quite take place with them. Hammond made his test debut against South Africa in 1927. He played 85 test matches and scored 7249 runs with an average of 58.45. He is 4th on the list with 22 test centuries. The Great Walter Hammond played his last Test match against New Zealand in 1947.

5. Colin Cowdrey | 22 Centuries

Colin Cowdrey mostly known as Michael Cowdrey played Cricket for 21 years, One of the most durable batsmen in the history of Test Cricket. Cowdrey made his test debut in 1954 against the Aussies and played 114 matches, scoring 7624 runs with an average of 44.06. He is 5th on the list with the same no as Wally Hammond, 22 centuries. Michael Cowdrey played his last test match in 1975 against the Australian side.

Top 10 Players with the Most Centuries in Test Cricket for England:

West Indies just registered their lowest test score in their history after registering only 27 in the fourth innings of the third West Indies vs Australia test in Kingston. While chasing only 204 in the last inning of the test match, West Indies were bundled out for 27 after Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland ran through them. 

For the West Indies, only Justin Greaves could reach the double-figure (11) mark. 7 of 11 batters of the West Indies team were dismissed for ducks.

Australia started the inning on a fiery note, with Mitchell Starc taking three wickets in the first over. He then went on to break the record for the fastest five-wicket haul in a test inning as he reached the landmark in just 15 balls. West Indies once were 6 for 11, but a small partnership from Alzarri Joseph and Justin Greaves helped them reach 26.

But from 26/6, Scott Boland took a hat-trick to reduce them to 26/9. Mitchell Starc then wrapped up the inning with his sixth wicket as he finished with a bowling figure of 7.3-4-9-6. 

What is the lowest test score in history?

New Zealand in 1955 registered the lowest test score in history when they were bundled for only 26 in the third inning against Australia in Auckland. Bert Sutcliffe could only reach the double-figure mark (11) for the Kiwis. 

Frank Tyson started the attack for Australia, taking the first two wickets. But it was Brian Statham and Bob Appleyard who finished the job for the team from down under. Statham returned with 9-3-9-3 while Appleyard had the bowling figure of 6-3-7-4. 

Although New Zealand had played 27 overs to score those 26 runs. They lost the test match by an innings and 20 runs.

10 lowest test scores in test cricket

Along with New Zealand in 1995 and the West Indies in 2025, South Africa features in the top five of the lowest test scores in test cricket. 

In 1896, South Africa were bundled for 30 against England in Gqeberha, which was the lowest test score for nearly 59 years.

South Africa again matched their record when England bowled them out for 30 again, this time in Birmingham in 1924. In 1899 and 1932, South Africa registered 35 and 36, respectively, against England and Australia.

Then comes India's 36 all-out against Australia in 2020 in Adelaide. India comes on the list again with their 42 against England in 1974 at Lord's. 

However, before all of these, Australia had the record for the lowest test score, before New Zealand broke the record. In 1888, Australia were bundled out for 42 against England at their own turf in Sydney. 

On his 100th test, Australian pacer Mitchell Starc created a record which would be very hard to break in future. During the second innings of the pink-ball test between West Indies and Australia in Kingston, Starc registered his 16th five-wicket haul in test cricket in just 15 balls. 

In doing that, he broke the record for the fastest five-wicket haul (from the start of bowling innings) in test cricket history, breaking Ernie Toshack, Stuart Broad and Scott Boland's previous record of 19 balls.

Starc's record-breaking five-wicket haul in 15 balls

Here is how Mitchell Starc broke the record for the fastest five-wicket haul in test cricket history.

1st wicket: 1st ball - John Campbell

Starc dismissed John Campbell with a beautiful outswinger in the first ball of the second inning. The ball moved a bit, and it was enough to produce an edge to substitute wicket-keeper Josh Inglish.

2nd wicket: 5th ball - Kevlon Anderson

In the fifth ball of the first over, Kevlon Anderson left a delivery from Starc, who was able to make the ball come in sharply. The ball hit the pad, and the umpire was not hesitant to rule him out, as Kevlon Anderson did not offer any shot. Although he took the DRS, only to be proven wrong by the review. 

3rd wicket: 6th ball - Brandon King

It was a typical Mitchell Starc dismissal. Brandon King was bamboozled by a big inswinging delivery from Starc.

King went for a big drive through the long off region, but the ball came back sharply to go through his bat and pad and took an inside edge before hitting the stumps. 

Starc had three wickets in his and Australia's first over. 

Read Also | West Indies vs Australia: West Indies register second lowest test score in an inning by a team

4th wicket: 13th ball - Mikyle Louis

Although West Indies batters were able to play out Starc's second over, the left-arm pacer struck in the first ball of his third over. 

Another big inswinging delivery at 142.4 kmph, and Mikyle Louis did not have any answer to that. Louis lounged into a big defence, but the ball came back in sharply and went on to hit the front of his back pad, in front of the middle. 

The right-handed batter did not even wait for the umpire's decision and started walking back.

That was Starc's 400th test wicket. He is only the second left-arm pacer ever to take 400 test wickets. Only Wasim Akram is ahead of him at the moment with 419 test wickets.

5th wicket: 15th ball - Shai Hope

Two balls later, Starc got Shai Hope out with the same formula. 

Hope did not know which way the ball was going and had his weight on the back foot. He was late before the inswinger hit his front pad.

Hope went for the DRS, only to know that the ball was crushing the middle of leg stump. 

After the 15th ball, Starc's bowling figure showed 2.3-2-2-5. 

Fastest five-wicket hauls (from the start of bowling innings) in test cricket