Afghanistan vs Australia Highlights, ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Australia qualify for semis; Afghanistan mathematically alive

Bowling change? Yes, Mohammad Nabi comes on to bowl inside the first Powerplay.

Azmatullah Omarzai to Travis Head, BEATEN! Slower length ball, outside off, Travis Head looks to slog it down the ground but gets beaten by the lack of pace.

Azmatullah Omarzai to Steve Smith, A bit slower, on a length and in the line of the stumps, Smith uses his wrists to turn it wide of mid-wicket for a quick single.

Azmatullah Omarzai to Travis Head, A bit fuller and outside off, Head steers it to deep point for a single.

Azmatullah Omarzai to Travis Head, Hard length, around off, Travis pushes it to mid off from the back foot.

Azmatullah Omarzai to Steve Smith, Goes fuller but on the pads, seaming in, Steve Smith leans on and flicks it away to deep square leg for a single.

Azmatullah Omarzai to Steve Smith, Back of a length, around middle, Steve Smith get opened up and drops it down to the deck.

Fazalhaq Farooqi to Travis Head, FOUR! SMART BATTING! Farooqi bangs in short of a length to surprise the batter, around middle and angles it into the body, Travis Head waits for it and opens the face of the bat off late to ramp it over the keeper behind the wickets for a boundary.

Fazalhaq Farooqi to Travis Head, OUCH! Hard length, with pace, around middle, Travis Head looks to pull this but he misjudges the length and gets an inside edge. Gets hit on the box. 

Fazalhaq Farooqi to Travis Head, FOUR! WOW! HEAD IS PUTTING UP A SHOW HERE! A slower ball from Fazalhaq Farooqi and he goes fuller and wide outside off, Travis Head goes low and extends his arms to reach out to loft it inside out over cover for a boundary. 

Fazalhaq Farooqi to Travis Head, Similar length, around middle, Travis Head opens the face of the bat and looks to play it down the ground but gets it through the outer half of the bat to point.

Fazalhaq Farooqi to Travis Head, Hard length, around middle, Head defends it off the inner half of the bat to mid on.

Fazalhaq Farooqi to Travis Head, FOUR! THRASHED! On a good length and touch outside off, Travis Head hops up a bit to get on top of the bounce and pulls it along the ground to deep square leg for a boundary.

Azmatullah Omarzai to Steve Smith, Nagging length, around middle and off, Smith drops it down back to the bowler. An eventful over comes to an end. 

Azmatullah Omarzai to Steve Smith, FOUR! AND ANOTHER! Omarzai goes fuller but on the pads, easy for Steve Smith as he leans on and flicks it in the gap towards mid-wicket for another boundary.

Azmatullah Omarzai to Steve Smith, FOUR! WHAT A WAY TO GET OFF THE MARK! Back of a length, around off, Steve Smith hops up a bit and punches it away in the gap towards extra cover for a boundary. 

The skipper, Steve Smith walks out to bat now.

Azmatullah Omarzai to Matthew Short, OUT! CAUGHT! A GOOD CATCH AND THIS TIME, SHORT DEPARTS! Azmatullah Omarzai gets the deserved wicket finally as he bowls on a good length, around middle, coming in, Matthew Short leans on and looks to flick it but gets a top edge only. The ball goes towards mid on where the fielder, Gulbadin Naib runs in backwards and extends his arms to catch this over his right shoulder. Australia are 44/1. 

Azmatullah Omarzai to Travis Head, Bangs in short of a length, around middle, Head pulls it down to deep square leg for a single.

Azmatullah Omarzai to Matthew Short, DROPPED! WOULD YOU BELIEVE IT? Back of a length, around off and middle, Matthew Short just stands tall and pulls it hard but straight to deep square leg where the substitute fielder Nangeyalia Kharote goes low and looks to catch it but he gets confused by the lights and spills down an easy catch. The batters run for a single and both of them have got a life now.

Fazalhaq Farooqi to Travis Head, FOUR! AUSTRALIA OFF TO A FLIER HERE! Farooqi bowls it fuller and on the pads again, easy for Travis Head as he lunges and flicks it away to deep backward square leg for a boundary. The fielder should have done better to his right there and Fazalhaq Farooqi seems deflated.

Fazalhaq Farooqi to Travis Head, On a good length, around off, Head hops up a bit and drops it down to the deck. 

Fazalhaq Farooqi to Travis Head, A bit slower around off, on a length, Head comes forward and drives it to mid off.

Fazalhaq Farooqi to Travis Head, Full again but outside off, Head pushes it to mid off.

Fazalhaq Farooqi to Travis Head, SIX! Rubbing salt into the wounds! Farooqi goes fuller but on the pads, easy for Travis Head as he lunges and flicks it away with the angle for a biggie at deep fine leg. The fielder is just a mere spectator. 

Fazalhaq Farooqi to Travis Head, DROPPED! On a length, around off, Travis Head presses back and pulls it but gets it through the bottom part of the bat towards mid on where Rashid Khan moves in to his left and extends his arms to catch it but the ball bursts out through his hands. HOW COSTLY WILL IT BE FOR THEM? Rashid just never got in a comfortable position and ended up going with the crocodile hands.

Azmatullah Omarzai to Matthew Short, FOUR! EASY PICKINGS! Sprays it on the pads, fuller in length, Matthew Short lunges and flicks it away to deep backward square leg for a boundary to end the over. 14 off it.

Azmatullah Omarzai to Matthew Short, Goes fuller this time, around middle, seaming in, Matthew Short comes forward and looks to flick it away but gets an inside edge to the pads.

Azmatullah Omarzai to Matthew Short, SIX! PUNISHED! Hard length, around off and middle, in the arc of Matthew Short as he presses back a bit and thumps it over mid-wicket for a biggie. TOP SHOT!

Azmatullah Omarzai to Matthew Short, BEATEN! A bit slower as he rolls his fingers, on a length, around off, comes in with the angle, Matthew Short swings at it with no foot movement and gets beaten on the inside edge as the ball zips past the off stump.

Azmatullah Omarzai to Matthew Short, Nagging length, around middle, Short turns it to mid-wicket.

Azmatullah Omarzai to Matthew Short, FOUR! EDGED AND BOUNDARY! Afghanistan will be disappointed with these streaky boundaries. On a good length, outside off, Matthew Short stands tall and looks to drag it to the leg side by pulling it but gets a top edge through the bottom part of the bat. The ball flies over the slip and goes for a boundary at deep third.

Fazalhaq Farooqi to Travis Head, Nagging length, around off, Head drops it down back to the bowler.

Fazalhaq Farooqi to Travis Head, FOUR! EASY PICKINGS THIS! Touch short by Farooqi but well outside off, offering width, Travis Head presses back and drags it by pulling towards mid-wicket for a boundary. 

Fazalhaq Farooqi to Matthew Short, On a good length, around middle, seaming in, Matthew Short stands tall and looks to punch it away but gets a thick inside edge that past the leg stump to deep fine leg for a single.

Fazalhaq Farooqi to Travis Head, WIDE! Lands it full again but down the leg side, a big inswing this time, Travis Head looks to flick it but misses. The keeper Rahmanullah Gurbaz puts in a dive to his right but parries away through his hand towards short fine leg for a single. Called a wide as well.

Fazalhaq Farooqi to Travis Head, Back of a length and outside off, Travis Head hops up and cuts it in the gap towards deep point for a couple of runs. 

Fazalhaq Farooqi to Travis Head, WIDE! A big outswinger now, fuller and wide outside off, Travis Head looks to cut it but misses. Called a wide.

Fazalhaq Farooqi to Travis Head, FOUR LEG BYES! Goes slightly fuller and on the pads, Travis Head hops up a bit and looks to flick it but misses. The ball brushes off the pads and goes to deep fine leg for a boundary. 

Fazalhaq Farooqi to Travis Head, An appeal for LBW but is turned down by the umpire! A big inswinger and around middle and leg, Travis Head gets caught on the crease and looks to flick it but misses and gets hit on the back pad. They are not going for the review as probably it is going down leg. That swung back a long way!

Fazalhaq Farooqi to operate from the other end.

Azmatullah Omarzai to Matthew Short, Back of a length, around off, Short drops it down to cover. Just a boundary off the first over of the chase.

Azmatullah Omarzai to Matthew Short, FOUR! EASY PICKINGS! Hard length, but down the leg side, Matthew Short presses back and helps on its way to deep fine leg for a boundary. Australia are underway.

Azmatullah Omarzai to Matthew Short, Hard length, around middle, Short looks to punch it away towards cover but gets a thick inside edge to mid-wicket.

Azmatullah Omarzai to Matthew Short, On a good length, around off, a hint of outswing, Short drops it down to cover.

Azmatullah Omarzai to Matthew Short, Keeps it fuller, and outside off, Short drives it to mid off from the front foot.

Azmatullah Omarzai to Matthew Short, Starts with a full ball, seaming away, outside off, Matthew Short comes forward and drives it through the outer half of the bat to backward point. There is a bit of misfield by the fielder but they are not going for the run. Also, Short seems to be hobbling as he did in the field and doesn't look comfortable out there.

We are back for the all-important run chase! Happy faces in the Afghan camp as the players form a huddle near the ropes with Gulbadin Naib trying to pump up his teammates before striding onto the field and the umpires are out in the middle as well. It will be the pairing of Matthew Short and Travis Head that will open the innings for Australia. Azmatullah Omarzai to start proceedings with the ball, let's go...

... THE RUN CHASE ...

Australia got off to an ideal start with Spencer Johnson producing a beauty to dismiss Rahmanullah Gurbaz in the very first over. However, the pacers struggled to capitalize on that breakthrough and couldn't fully exploit the swing on offer. The spinners stepped up in the middle overs, with Adam Zampa grabbing two key wickets and Glenn Maxwell chipping in with one. Ben Dwarshuis continued his impressive form with a three-fer, but Australia might feel they let Afghanistan off the hook, especially after eyeing a sub-250 total at one stage. Conceding 37 extras could also prove costly in a high-stakes game like this. While the Aussies boast a strong batting lineup, the pressure of a knockout match is a different challenge altogether, and Afghanistan won’t make it easy. Stay tuned for the chase!