The seesaw contest at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Wednesday night was eventually decided after Azmatullah Omarzai cleverly varied the length to outsmart a rampaging Joe Root, putting Afghanistan within touching distance of another epic win. Afghanistan’s fate was eventually confirmed in the penultimate ball of the match as England succumbed to an eight-run loss and suffered a humiliating Champions Trophy exit.
Afghanistan, who made their debut in the Champions Trophy last week, where they lost their opener against South Africa, once again reinstated their status as a giant slayer as they beat former ODI world champions to send them crashing out of the tournament. With a game in hand, the win kept Afghanistan alive in the Champions Trophy.
Group B semifinal scenario:
While the teams for the semifinals have been decided from Group A, the battle has been reduced to three teams in the second group following England’s elimination. In the final round of the group stage, Afghanistan will face Australia in Lahore on Friday, while South Africa will take on England on Saturday in Karachi.
If Australia beat Afghanistan, Steve Smith’s men and the Proteas will make the semifinal. However, if Hashmatullah Shahidi’s men pull off a second successive stunner in the match against Australia, Afghanistan will qualify for the semifinal. Australia’s fate would then depend not only on an England victory but also on the margin of the win. Given South Africa’s superior net run rate of +2.140, only an emphatic England win could help Australia (+0.475) to win the NRR battle and qualify for the knockout stage.
Who could India face?
India were the first team in the 2025 Champions Trophy to make the semifinal. New Zealand joined them a day later after beating Bangladesh in their second game. Group A, too, has two matches left in the competition. While the game between Pakistan and Bangladesh will be inconsequential, India-New Zealand clash on Sunday in Dubai will decide who will finish at the top of the table. The result will also likely hint at their respective semifinal opponent.
According to the format, the winner of each group will face the second-placed side of the other group. Hence, if Australia and South Africa win their respective group games and India get the better of the Black Caps, the Men in Blue could take on the Aussies in Dubai next Tuesday. However, if they finish second in Group B, they will face South Africa in the semifinal.
