Win Projections to be updated soon
After rain disrupted Match 10 of the Champions Trophy between Australia and Afghanistan, a ground crew man slipped onto the pitch to try to dry out the damp surface at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
Social media users criticised the Pakistan Cricket Board for inadequate drainage systems at the stadium for the major ICC event, while others shared the moment’s footage, which went viral.
How Pakistan clears water from ground. 🤣🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/X3SqFAXIJi
— AKTK (@AKTKbasics) February 28, 2025
The match is cancelled, and Australia advances to the semifinals.
The ground crew was unable to dry off the field in time for the game to resume by the 10.11 p.m. local time cutoff because of the heavy surface waters. Because both sides shared a point, the match authorities determined it would be best to call off the game.
The first team from Group B to advance to the eight-team tournament’s semi-finals was Australia, who finished with a point. The outcome of Saturday’s match between South Africa and England will determine the second qualifying for the semi-finals. The Proteas would immediately qualify and end the stage as the top team if they prevailed.
Afghanistan can only qualify if South Africa loses the next match by at least 180 runs or if England manages to reach the target in fewer than 15 overs, which is highly unlikely. However, there is still hope for the Afghan Atalans.
Returning to the present game, Afghanistan scored a tremendous 273 runs after batting first. Sediqullah Atal, who scored an incredible 85 runs, led the inning, while Azmat Omarzai, the game’s hero, also contributed with a crucial 67 off 63 balls.
Travis Head gave the chase a scorching start, and the Australians appeared to be well on their way to doubling in on the objective. Despite losing a wicket in the powerplay to Matthew Short, Head made the most of the field restrictions, reaching his half-century off just 34 balls. Rain stopped play after 12.5 and Australia was 109/1. The game was cancelled after about 90 minutes of waiting.
India
