Afghanistan opt to bat against Australia in virtual knock-out clash

Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi won the toss and opted to bat first in a crucial ICC Champions Trophy 2025 match against Australia in Lahore today, in a winner-take-it-all contest.

Australia began their tournament with a bang, chasing down the highest-ever total in an ICC event against England. However, their momentum was halted by rain in their next match, forcing a points split with South Africa. Both teams now sit on three points, occupying the top two spots in Group B.

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Australia vs Afghanistan: Key stats

Afghanistan, on the other hand, suffered a heavy defeat to South Africa by 107 runs in their opening game but made a remarkable comeback to stun England and knock them out of semifinal contention with an unforgettable victory.

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Afghanistan put on a ‘tamasha’ to remember

Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi.

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