Australia’s depleted but optimistic team is back in Lahore, venue of an incredible record run chase against England last Saturday, for their third and final Group B match versus Afghanistan. Steve Smith and his team looked on glumly as their match with South Africa in Rawalpindi was rained out with a ball bowled, thus handing each side a point each.

Afghanistan’s dramatic eight-run win over England in Lahore has turned this game into a must-win for Australia, who will guarantee their progression to the semi-finals with a victory. But lose, and it could signal exit from the tournament. 

Thus, in what is now a virtual quarter-final, Smith’s side will have to brace for an Afghan fightback given what transpired the last time they square off on a cricket field. 

In 2024, however, Afghanistan beat Australia in the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean to make the semi-finals of an ICC tournament for the first time. And when these two teams last met in ODI cricket, the underdogs had the six-time World Cup winners in deep trouble at 91/7 at the Wankhede Stadium. But thanks to an innings for the ages from Glenn Maxwell who clubbed 201* off 128 balls, Australia chased their target of 292 with 19 deliveries left and thus Afghanistan’s hopes of reaching the final four were extinguished. 

And in Lahore on Wednesday, in what was an effective eliminator match. Afghanistan beat England by a narrow margin to stay alive. The Afghans have proved, if anyone had doubts, that they are no more pushover at this level. In their first trip to the Champions Trophy, Afghanistan are locking eyes with Australia with full intention to cross the finish line unlike what happened in Mumbai in 2023. 

Jonathan Trott, Afghanistan’s coach, is hopeful of more boisterous support for the team at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, a city with a sizeable Aghan community. 

“For the players to experience some support, because we normally always play in the UAE and being in Pakistan is really close to where they come from,” Trott said after Afghanistan’s win over England. “Hopefully Friday will be a massive sell out and people will turn up or take the day off work and come and watch us from two o’clock onwards. These players will never forget nights like this. We’ve had a few other nights along the way in ICC events and series and that will just add to the confidence that we should hopefully take in on Friday.”

South Africa still hold top spot in this group on net run-rate following their 107-run win over Afghanistan in Karachi, with Australia second after that five-wicket victory over England when an ICC tournament record of 352 was chased with 15 deliveries to spare. 

From Group A, India and New Zealand have already sealed passage to the semi-finals courtesy back-to-back wins, with those outcomes shoving out hosts Pakistan and Bangladesh from the Champions Trophy. 

Afghanistan probable 11: 1 Ibrahim Zadran, 2 Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), 3 Sediqullah Atal, 4 Rahmat Shah, 5 Hashmatullah Shahidi (capt), 6 Azmatullah Omarzai, 7 Mohammad Nabi, 8 Gulbadin Naib, 9 Rashid Khan, 10 Noor Ahmad, 11 Fazalhaq Farooqi

Australia likely 11: 1 Matthew Short, 2 Travis Head, 3 Steve Smith (capt), 4 Marnus Labuschagne, 5 Josh Inglis (wk), 6 Alex Carey (wk), 7 Glenn Maxwell, 8 Ben Dwarshius, 9 Nathan Ellis, 10 Adam Zampa, 11 Spencer Johnson