Afghanistan’s semi-final hopes in danger – Here’s what needs to happen

Afghanistan’s hopes of securing a spot in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 semi-finals remain alive, but their fate now rests on the outcome of South Africa’s final group-stage match against England in Karachi on March 1.

On Friday, Afghanistan’s crucial clash against Australia at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium was washed out due to persistent rain, with both teams being awarded a point each. While Australia secured their place in the semi-finals with four points from three matches in Group B, Afghanistan finished their group stage campaign with three points.

With one win, one loss, and a no-result, Hashmatullah Shahidi’s men are still in contention, but qualification is no longer in their hands. Afghanistan will only advance to the semi-finals if England beat South Africa by a significant margin in Karachi.

For Afghanistan to progress, England must either defeat South Africa by at least 207 runs if they bat first, or chase down a target in just 11.1 overs, assuming a first-innings total of 300. In such a scenario, Afghanistan and South Africa would both finish on three points, but Afghanistan would qualify due to a superior net run rate.

However, if the England-South Africa match is abandoned due to rain, South Africa will qualify with four points, knocking Afghanistan out of the tournament. A South African victory would see them top Group B and set up a semi-final clash with the loser of Sunday’s India-New Zealand fixture.

As the tournament enters its final group-stage encounters, Afghanistan’s campaign now hinges on a highly unlikely sequence of results. Meanwhile, Australia, already assured of a semi-final berth, await their opponent in the knockout stage.

For more updates on the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, stay tuned to the latest points table, top performers, and in-depth match analysis.