Afghanistan win toss, elect to bat first vs Australia
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Afghanistan won the toss against Australia and has opted to bat first. The match between Australia and Afghanistan in Group B, being played at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, is critical for both teams’ bid for a semi-final spot.
If Australia win today, they will qualify and Afghanistan will be knocked out. If Afghanistan win today, then they will qualify and Australia’s Champions Trophy hopes would be based on tomorrow’s result between South Africa and England.
If the match is washed out due to rain, Australia will qualify for the semi-finals and Afghanistan’s future will depend on the result of South Africa vs England.
Playing XI:
Australia: Matthew Short, Travis Head, Steven Smith (c), Marnus Labuschagne, Josh Inglis †, Alex Carey, Glenn Maxwell, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Spencer Johnson
Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz †, Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (C), Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Prophet, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi
Weather report:
The highly anticipated Champions Trophy 2025 clash between Afghanistan and Australia faces uncertainty as rain threatens to disrupt the fixture in Lahore. Weather forecasts predict a 40-70 percent chance of rain between 6 AM and 3 PM on match day, with a 50 percent probability in the evening, raising concerns over delays or a possible washout.
Australia’s previous game against South Africa in Rawalpindi was abandoned due to rain, and a similar fate for this match could have significant consequences. If the game is washed out, Australia will secure a semifinal spot, while Afghanistan’s hopes will hinge on the result of the South Africa vs England match.
Pitch report:
The Gaddafi Stadium pitch is tradionally batter-friendly, so there are possibilities of it being a high-scoring game. In case of dew in the evening, batting is easy in the second innings too.
With an average scoring rate of 6.83, the track has consistently favoured stroke-makers. While there has been little movement for seamers, pacers might extract some spongy bounce off the surface. However, spinners are unlikely to find much assistance, as conditions continue to favour batters.
The pitch is expected to play consistently across both innings, making chasing an attractive option. As a result, the team winning the toss will likely opt to bowl first.
Head-to-head:
Afghanistan and Australia have faced each other four times in ODI cricket, with Australia dominating every encounter. The Baggy Greens hold a perfect record, winning all four matches, while Afghanistan is yet to register a victory. Australia boasts a 100% win rate, while Afghanistan remains winless in this head-to-head battle.
The two teams last met on 7 November 2023 in the 2023 ICC World Cup, when Australia secured a 3-wicket win at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai thanks to Glenn Maxwell playing one of the finest innings in ODI history.
Prior to that, Australia triumphed by 7 wickets at the County Ground, Bristol, on 1 June 2019. Their most lopsided victory came on 4 March 2015, when they crushed Afghanistan by 275 runs at the W.A.C.A, Perth. The first-ever ODI encounter between the sides took place on 25 August 2012, with Australia winning by 66 runs in Sharjah.
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