In the Group B clash Australia secured their semifinal position in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 as their match against Afghanistan was abandoned after rain in Lahore on Friday. Due to this Australia shifted to four points from three matches, while both Afghanistan and South Africa stayed on three points each.
Since South Africa played a game less, their match against England on Saturday will determine the second semifinalist of Group B.
South Africa’s Destiny Dependent On England Match
If South Africa are able to beat England, they will lead Group B with five points and join Australia in the semifinals. But if they lose, the second semifinal place can remain with Afghanistan’s outside chance on the back of Net Run Rate (NRR).
Currently, South Africa holds a significant advantage in NRR, making it unlikely for Afghanistan to qualify unless England secures a massive win by over 200 runs—a highly improbable scenario.
Rain Plays Spoilsport Despite Australia’s Strong Start
Before the rain disruption, Australia were well placed at 109 for 1 in 12.5 overs, and in the run towards chasing Afghanistan’s total of 274. The match eventually ended without a result after an inspection found parts of the ground still unplayable despite work by the ground staff.
It was Australia’s second successive rain-affected match, their first game against South Africa in Rawalpindi also having finished without a result.
Can Afghanistan Qualify For Semifinal?
With the match being a no result, Afghanistan’s chances of qualification are slim. Their current NRR of -0.990 leaves them at a critical disadvantage.
For Afghanistan to move forward, they would need South Africa to lose to England by a huge margin, which is an unlikely situation. If South Africa wins, they will lead the group, eliminating Afghanistan from the tournament.
Champions Trophy: Group B Points Table
| Team | Matches | Won | Lost | Points | NRR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (Q) | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 | +0.475 |
| South Africa | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | +2.140 |
| Afghanistan | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | -0.990 |
| England | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | -0.305 |
From Group A, India and New Zealand have already qualified for the semifinal and Group B’s second semifinalist is yet to be decided.
