Match abandoned! A shame for the fans in Lahore, but the rain claims another fixture in this Champions Trophy. A point each means Australia are through to the semi-finals! They move to four points while Afghanistan, now on three, need to wait until tomorrow to see if they have snuck through.

The rain halts the game. Australia are 109/1 after 12.5 overs. 

They are winning as per the DLS at the moment. 

Current situation! #AUSvsAFG #ChampionsTrophy pic.twitter.com/0USIWpp8VY

— Sportz Point (@sportz_point) February 28, 2025

The Aussies are going for a big win here and they are not letting the foot off the gas. 

They cross 100 in 12 overs. 

Head 55* and Smith 16*.

In just 34 balls, the opener completes his 17th ODI fifty and surely, he would love to take the game away from the Afghans. 

Australia 96/1. 

Head throws his hands at the ball and the edge goes flying past the keeper. 

He moves to 45 from 28 balls after hat-trick of fours against Azmat.

Farooqi has been poor here. He has bowled a half-volley, a short ball and given room Head all in one over. 

Head has hit him for boundaries in every occasion. 

Azmatullah Omarzai is now the highest wicket-taker of the Champions Trophy 2025. #AUSvAFG #ChampionsTrophy pic.twitter.com/EimoKi0tQA

— Sportz Point (@sportz_point) February 28, 2025

Steve Smith comes to the crease and hits two back-to-back boundaries as they reach 50 in five overs. 

After another dropped catch, finally Afghanistan holds on to a catch. 

Gulbadin Naib takes a good catch running back at mid-on and Azmatullah Omarzai gets the big wicket of Short!

Australia 44/1

Massive point of the match. Rashid Khan at mid-on drops Travis Head on 6. 

Head tried to go over the circle against Fazalhaq Farooqi and could not get the connection. 

Solid, fast start for Australia with the bat. Travis Head and Matthew Short have given Australia the start they were looking for. 

Australia 30/0 after 3.

Noor got a top edge on that and given out.

swings and misses outside off, but steals a bye. Noor to face the final ball. He misses the pull, caught behind appeal, and another bye taken.

Australia takes the review to check whether there was any bat on it. 

Caught at deep cover and Azmatullah brilliant knock finally comes to an end. 

Fazalhaq Farooqi the last man in. 

Thundered down the ground by Azmatullah for a one-bounce four. Smashed to deep midwicket and Azmatullah prefers not to run again. 

Dot ball to start with as Azmatullah doesn’t want to take the single. 

A couple of dot balls to follow - a slower one and then a yorker from Ellis.

SIX! Slow and shortish outside off, and Azmatullah throws his hands at it and clears wide long-off for another maximum.

A single to end the over and Azmatullah will keep strike. 

Ellis bowls out. Noor takes a single first ball. SIX! Azmatullah takes this from outside off-stump and launches the ball over deep midwicket for a colossal six. 

Fifty up for Azmatullah, off just 54 balls, and this has been an excellent knock so far. 

A wide and a single to end the over, and six runs from the 48th. 

AFG 254/8 after 48 overs.

Dwarshuis starts off with a wide outside off-stump. 250 up for Afghanistan with a single off the second ball of the over. 

Single first ball for Noor. SIX! Shot! An incredible hit down the ground by Azmatullah. 

It was a length ball on middle stump and thumped for a straight six. That was 103 metres! Launched over extra cover next ball by Azmatullah, and the ball falls safely in the deep for a couple more.

A couple of slower deliveries in a row and Azmatullah can’t put them away, resulting in two crucial dot balls. A single at deep midwicket for Azmatullah to end the over. 

Noor Ahmad is the next man in. 

Carved behind point by Rashid to the boundary first ball as Dwarshuis continues. And Rashid is gone next ball. 

Short again, Rashid looked to heave this down the ground but he gets a top edge on it and Maxwell settles under this skier at long-on. 

Pulled away to deep midwicket by Azmatullah and brilliant stop in the deep by Maxwell to keep it down to a couple.

Short, Rashid steps out to flat-bat this on the off-side but the ball runs away to the third-man boundary off the toe end of the bat. 

A couple of dot balls to start the over. 

Four runs off the first three balls. Misfield at point and a couple more for Rashid off the fourth ball of the over.

He looks to guide this angled delivery to third man with soft hands, but misses. 

Beaten outside off again off the last ball. 

AFG 223/7 after 44 overs.

A couple of twos for Rashid, who first steps out to clear the infield on the off-side and then sweeps one to deep square-leg.

Twelve runs from the over and Afghanistan won’t mind that. 

Massive maximum for Azmatullah. He backs away outside leg-stump and slog sweeps this over midwicket for half a dozen. 

Ellis continues. Excellent stuff from Ellis, as just four singles come from the over. 

Zampa comes back. 200 up for Afghanistan in 40.3 overs as Azmatullah takes a single.

Rashid off the mark with a single through square-leg as he flicks the ball off the back foot. 

AFG 201/7 after 41 overs.

Gulbadin is gone.

He was looking to clear the leg-side boundary, but ended up skying this very high in the air and Inglis does well to settle under it. 

AFG 199/7 after 40 overs.

Short ball, pulled by Naib, and Short throws himself at midwicket to hold on to what would have been a stunning catch, but the ball just slips out of his grip.

Azmatullah slashes hard outside off as Johnson angles the ball away, and the batter gets a thick outside edge to deep third for a single. 

Over the wicket to Naib. FOUR! Short, good bouncer, but Naib gets a top edge on the pull and the ball runs away to the boundary behind the keeper.

That seems to have gone off the helmet, so given four leg-byes. 

Ellis with the ball. Loud appeal for caught behind but the umpire doesn’t move.

Smith reviews and there is daylight between bat and ball as Azmatullah can’t connect.

Guided behind point by Azmatullah for a couple to end the over. 

AFG 190/6 after 38 overs.

That was a short ball down leg-side, which the keeper couldn’t collect cleanly. He throws the ball at the stumps, however, and Johnson shows good presence of mind to back up and break the stumps. 

Johnson again. Full outside off and driven through extra-cover by Azmatullah for a couple. OUT! Nabi is caught outside his crease the striker’s end and that’s an unfortunate dismissal. 

Zampa is back. A lot of width outside off and cut away for a single by Azmatullah to deep cover. OUT! Hashmatullah is gone. 

Short into his seventh over. SIX! Azmatullah decides to get a move on.

He goes for the slog-sweep and clears midwicket with ease.

Just three singles and leg-bye from the over. Hashmatullah drags his score to 19 off 46 balls by the end of the over. 

AFG 166/4 after 34 overs.

Azmatullah Omarzai is the next man in. He is off the mark with a single at deep fine. 

AFG 161/4 after 32 overs.

Johnson comes back replacing Zampa. The bowling change makes the difference as he takes Atal's wicket.

Driven straight to the cover fielder by Atal, and Smith holds on to a low catch. 

Just three runs from the over.

Pressure building on Hashmat, while Atal nears a brilliant ton. 

AFG 159/3 after 31 overs.

Hashmat is sent back from halfway down the pitch by Atal after the captain chops the ball to mid-off.

There is some disagreement between the batters but the captain survives. A couple at deep cover for Hashmat to end the over. 

AFG 156/3 after 30 overs.

Hammered over long-on by Atal for a maximum as Zampa continues.

That’s 150 up in 29.1 overs.

Ellis is convinced it is gone, but not given by the umpire and Smith won’t review either.

A single to end the over as Atal keeps strike. 

AFG 145/3 after 29 overs.

Ellis comes around the wicket. Banged in short and swatted away by Hashmatullah to deep point for a single. 

A bit of width and driven square of the wicket by Atal for a boundary. 

That’s 50 runs for the partnership off 64 balls. 

Two dots in a row for Hashmatullah and the pressure is building on the skipper now. 11 runs off 33 balls for him. 

A single for Hashmatulla at cover, where Short misfields but doesn’t allow a second. 

Zampa is greeted back into the attack with a maximum by Atal.

He steps out, doesn’t really middle it but the ball still just sails over the boundary at long-off. 

Keeps hitting the deck hard, and just two singles from the over. 

AFG 131/3 after 27 overs.

Just three singles from the over. 

AFG 129/3 after 26 overs.

Atal continues to find boundaries. Pulls the ball straight to midwicket for four. 

10 runs came in that over. 

AFG 126/3 after 25 overs.

Atal comes down the track and goes over long on. That’s fifty for him as well.

Shahidi too comes down the track and gets an inside edge past keeper for a lucky four. 

AFG 113/3 after 23 overs.

Just a single came in that over. 

AFG 94/3 after 20 overs.

Six runs off the over. 

AFG 93/3 after 19 overs.

Maxwell comes into the attack and takes Rahmat's wicket.

Outside edge straight to keeper. Sharp catch. 

A full toss by Zampa and Atal hits it over mid off for four. 

Atal has been working the ball around the ground but the boundaries have dried up.

An interesting phase of play this after the introduction of spinners. 

Spinners have once again controlled the scoring rate ever since they have come into the attack. Four runs in the last 12 balls. 

AFG 75/2 after 16 overs.

AFG 71/2 after 15 overs.

Rahmat Shah is off the mark with a single. 

AFG 71/2 after 14 overs.

Adam Zampa takes Zadran's wicket.

Wide ball outside off, Zadran chases it but cuts it straight to backward point. He falls for 22. 

Maxwell is getting the ball turn. Seven runs have come in the last 12 balls. 

AFG 70/1 after 13 overs.

Just five runs from the over 

Afghanistan’s scoring rate has been pretty good and the singles are coming regularly as well. 

AFG 63/1 after 11 overs.

On the pads and Atal tucks it away towards fine leg for four.

AFG 54/1 after first powerplay of the game.

Change in bowling, Nathan Ellis into the attack. Starts with a down the leg wide. Lose delivery, half-tracker outside off and Zadran punishes it towards cover for four. 

Seven runs came in that over. 

Atal continues to look for boundaries. Four! On the pads and Atal tickles it away fine. 

Now Atal drives past point and gets two runs more. 

Eight runs from the over.

Now Zadran gets his first boundary as he drives towards cover point, opening the face of the bat. 

Another push to the cover region and Atal gets three more runs. 

Nine runs from the over. 

AFG 33/1 after 7 overs.

Atal connects the ball well and drives the ball through the cover for four! A very good looking shot. 

Atal has been trying really hard to counter-attack but the swing has made it difficult for him to score.

He gets an outside edge but falls just short of the first slip! 

AFG 24/1 after 6 overs.

It has been a bit tough for the batters but the extras have helped the Afghans get some runs on the board. 

Despite plays and misses, they are now 23/1 after 5 overs. 

Unpredictable from Spencer Johnson. 

In his second over, he first nipped one back in which missed the stumps by inches and went for four byes. 

Then, he sent one down the leg side for another four byes. The next ball he was right on the money and missed the edge of Sediq narrowly. 

Afghanistan 18/1 after 3. 

Spencer Johnson with an inswinging yorker gets Rahmanullah Gurbaz on duck. 

It was a bit like Mitchell Starc and he was able to go under the bat of Gurbaz. 

The ball had hit Gurbaz's toe and went on to hit the stumps.

Afghanistan 3/1

Matthew Short, Travis Head, Steven Smith (c), Marnus Labuschagne, Josh Inglis, Alex Carey (wk), Glenn Maxwell, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Spencer Johnson. 

Matthew Short, Travis Head, Steven Smith (c), Marnus Labuschagne, Josh Inglis, Alex Carey (wk), Glenn Maxwell, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Spencer Johnson. 

Both captains are in the middle - Hashmatullah Shahidi and Steve Smith. 

Afghanistan wins the toss and elects to bat.

Afghanistan Recent Matches Overview

1. February 26, 2025 – 8th Match, Group B vs England: Afghanistan won by 8 runs
2. February 21, 2025 – 3rd Match, Group B vs South Africa: South Africa won by 107 runs
3. December 21, 2024 – 3rd ODI vs Zimbabwe: Afghanistan won by 8 wickets (with 139 balls remaining)
4. December 19, 2024 – 2nd ODI vs Zimbabwe: Afghanistan won by 232 runs
5. December 17, 2024 – 1st ODI vs Zimbabwe: No result

Afghanistan has won 3 of its last 5 matches, including a crucial victory against England. 

Australia Recent Matches Overview

1. February 25, 2025 – 7th Match, Group B vs South Africa: Match abandoned without a ball bowled
2. February 22, 2025 – 4th Match, Group B vs England: Australia won by 5 wickets (with 15 balls remaining)
3. February 14, 2025 – 2nd ODI vs Sri Lanka: Sri Lanka won by 174 runs
4. February 12, 2025 – 1st ODI vs Sri Lanka: Sri Lanka won by 49 runs
5. November 10, 2024 – 3rd ODI vs Pakistan: Pakistan won by 8 wickets (with 139 balls remaining)

Australia has won only 1 of its last 5 matches, with losses to Sri Lanka and Pakistan.

Afghanistan have never beaten Australia in ODI format. In the four matches they have played against each other in the format, Australia have won all of them. 

Fans from India can watch the Afghanistan vs Australia match LIVE on Star Sports TV Channel and also on Jio Hotstar Channel with a paid subscription. 

Match: Afghanistan vs Australia

Tournament: ICC Champions Trophy 2025, Group B

Date: 28 February 2025

Time: 2.30 pm IST

Venue: Lahore