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

Adam Zampa is up for a quick chat. He says that it has been a mixed day for him as he struggled to find the correct length but he is satisfied that he picked up a couple of wickets in the end. Adds that the pitch is a bit two-paced and he came in to bowl in the powerplay where the ball was coming onto the bat nicely. Mention that the Afghan bowlers will bowl stumps to stumps, especially Rashid as they like to do so with the batters of Australia to protect the stumps and play out straightly to the spinners of Afghanistan. Concludes that he is pretty happy with the score and hopes that they will be able to defend it.

Despite an early setback, Afghanistan weathered the storm well, with Sediqullah Atal and Ibrahim Zadran providing stability at the crease. However, they stumbled once spin came into play, losing key wickets at crucial moments. Atal fell for 85, just when they needed him to push on for a big score. The middle order couldn't contribute much, apart from Azmatullah Omarzai, who handled the situation brilliantly, scoring a vital 67 off 63 to ensure the bowlers have something to defend when they take the field again.

Afghanistan put up a strong batting display! The momentum swung back and forth, with both teams refusing to give an inch. However, a crucial knock from the ODI Cricketer of the Year 2024, Azmatullah Omarzai, has powered them to a competitive total. That said, Australia will believe they've done well to restrict them to 15-20 runs below par on this batting-friendly surface, with dew also set to play a factor.

Ben Dwarshuis to Noor Ahmad, OUT! CAUGHT BEHIND! Ben Dwarshuis closes things out with a couple of wickets in the final over and Afghanistan are all out for 273 on the very last ball of the innings. Ben takes some pace off and bowls it into the pitch, angling it across off, Noor Ahmad backs away to cut but seems to have missed it and Josh Inglis dives forward to pouch the ball. The batters runs through for a bye and there isn't much of an appeal but the umpire says no. It is reviewed though and UltraEdge shows a spike as the ball is next to the ball and it is taken cleanly as well, so a good review and Dwarshius ends with 3 wickets.

Ben Dwarshuis to Fazalhaq Farooqi, BYE! Back of a length and around off, Fazalhaq Farooqi looks to fetch and pull but is beaten. The batters do manage to scamper through for a bye.

Fazalhaq Farooqi is the last man in.

Ben Dwarshuis to Azmatullah Omarzai, OUT! CAUGHT! Excellent work in the deep and Ben Dwarshuis is closing things out decently here for Australia. Dwarshius goes short and wide, banging it well into the deck. Azmatullah Omarzai has to reach for it a bit and goes hard after it, managing to slash it away flat over the cover-point region. Alex Carey runs in from the deep and slides in to just hang on with both hands. End of a fine knock from Omarzai, 67 off just 63 balls.

Ben Dwarshuis to Azmatullah Omarzai, A bit slower and back of a length around off, Omarzai hangs back and fetches the ball before swinging it towards long on. No single again, a dot then!

Ben Dwarshuis to Azmatullah Omarzai, FOUR! Banged away! Floated up a bit fuller and around off, almost in the slot, Omarzai clears the front leg and swats it straight down the ground towards long off for a boundary.

Ben Dwarshuis to Azmatullah Omarzai, Banged in halfway don the pitch and angled well away from the right-hander, Azmatullah Omarzai reaches for it and only manages to toe-end it down towards cover. Doesn't take the single!

Ben Dwarshuis (8-0-43-1) will be bowling the last over. Can he keep Afghanistan under 280 here?

Nathan Ellis to Azmatullah Omarzai, Smart batting here and 14 runs come off that over! Slower one, a bit full and outside off, Omarzai guides it away through backward point for one and will reatin the strike.

Nathan Ellis to Azmatullah Omarzai, SIX! That is raw power from Azmat! Back of a length and outside off, not a bad delivery but Omarzai just stays put and opens up those arms before flat-batting it over wide long off for another biggie.

Nathan Ellis to Azmatullah Omarzai, Excellent comeback from Ellis! Goes full and quick, angles it into the pads, Omarzai looks to stay back and flick it away but misses and gets hit on the pads.

Nathan Ellis to Azmatullah Omarzai, Misses out! Another slower one, short and well outside off, Omarzai goes hard at it but is beaten by the lack of pace this time.

Nathan Ellis to Azmatullah Omarzai, SIX! A lot of chat between the bowler and skipper before this delivery but Azmatullah Omarzai sends it into the stands. Banged in well short and outside off, Omarzai fetches it away and muscles the pull high and over deep mid-wicket for a massive 102-meter six, wow!

Nathan Ellis to Noor Ahmad, Slower one, into the pitch and around off, sits up nicely and Noor pulls it away to deep square leg for one. Turns the strike over on the first ball.

Ben Dwarshuis to Noor Ahmad, Slower one, full and in the blockhole around off, edged down to deep third for a single.

Ben Dwarshuis to Noor Ahmad, WIDE! Hard length on leg, just pushing this one down the leg side for a wide.

Ben Dwarshuis to Azmatullah Omarzai, Another single and FIFTY up for Azmatullah Omarzai, another fine effort from this budding talent. Full and wide, darted well across off, Omarzai reaches out and squeezes it in front of point for one. 8th ODI half-century for Omarzai!

Ben Dwarshuis to Noor Ahmad, Full and wide again, Noor Ahmad stays deep and holds his shape before slicing it up and over the cover fielder. A single taken as well.

Ben Dwarshuis to Noor Ahmad, Swing and a miss! Around the wicket to the tail-ender, bowled full and wide outside off, Noor reaches out to drive but is beaten.

Ben Dwarshuis to Azmatullah Omarzai, A tad short and wide, hit away off the back foot and square through covers for one. The 250 also comes up for Afghanistan with that.

Ben Dwarshuis to Azmatullah Omarzai, Back of a length and outside off, tapped away in front of covers where the fielder is quick to get to the ball. Dot!

Ben Dwarshuis to Azmatullah Omarzai, WIDE! Full and bowled across the right-hander, drifting beyond the tramline for a wide.

What happened there? The umpire called it over and Noor Ahmad started to walk off to the other end. The fielder throws it to the keeper's end when Josh Inglis breaks the stumps and appeals for it. However, when the umpires were about to go upstairs, skipper Steve Smith withdrew the appeal. Good to see the spirit of the game here.

Nathan Ellis to Azmatullah Omarzai, Just back of a length over off, Omarzai presses back and pats it down through mid on for one. Also, in between overs, it seems like Australia appealed for a run out chance as Noor Ahmad wandered out of the crease, thinking the ball was dead. Alex Carey dislodged the bails but Steve Smith opted out of the appeal as the play was dead, some good sportsmanship from the Aussie skipper.

Nathan Ellis to Azmatullah Omarzai, Top bowling! Back to over the wicket, floated up in the channel, slower too and this one moves away, Omarzai leans on to drive but is beaten past the outside edge.

Nathan Ellis to Azmatullah Omarzai, Bowled from around the wicket, slower and back of a length outside off, Omarzai waits well and taps it wide of point but just not wide enough.

Nathan Ellis to Azmatullah Omarzai, In the air...safe! Pitched up and wide outside off, Omarzai hangs back and reaches out before lofting it high over covers. The ball lands in between the long off and deep cover field and plugs. Two taken.

Nathan Ellis to Azmatullah Omarzai, SIX! Azmatullah Omarzai keeping Afghanistan alive here and that has just been bruted away. Back of a length and around off, Omarzai stands tall and just wallops it through the line and straight down the ground for a six. That length was so hard to hit straight but Omarzai didn't care!

Nathan Ellis to Noor Ahmad, A slower bumper over leg, aimed in towards the body, Noor Ahmad awkwardly pulls it down through fine leg for one.

Ben Dwarshuis to Noor Ahmad, Full and around off, a very low full toss, Noor opens the bat face and eases it away in front of point for one more.

Ben Dwarshuis to Azmatullah Omarzai, Back to over the wicket, bowled into the pitch and angled across off, Omarzai reaches out and hits it down through covers for a single. 

Ben Dwarshuis to Noor Ahmad, Good length, bowled from around the stumps and in the channel, Noor Ahmad guides it down to deep third for a single.

Noor Ahmad comes out to the middle now.

Ben Dwarshuis to Rashid Khan, OUT! CAUGHT! Ben Dwarshuis gets the last laugh here and Afghanistan lose their 8th! Dwarshius does well to see Rashid Khan shuffle across the off stump and bowls another short and wide one, but takes pace off this time. Rashid loses his balance a bit and tries to swat it over long on but mistimes it badly. Glenn Maxwell comes in from the deep towards mid on and pouches it safely. Rashid was just starting to fire but has to depart at a crucial stage.

Ben Dwarshuis to Rashid Khan, FOUR! Up and away! Short of a length and angled well outside off, Rashid Khan stays back but moves to the off side before playing a bit of a helicopter shot over backward point for a boundary.

Ben Dwarshuis to Azmatullah Omarzai, Hard-length delivery, angled across off, Omarzai makes room and slashes it down to deep backward point for one.

Nathan Ellis to Rashid Khan, FOUR! Oh, off the edge and Rashid Khan won't mind that one bit. Another off-paced delivery, banged in short around off, Rashid comes forward ad tries to play a tennis smash but gets it off the cue end of the bat and wide of the keeper into the deep third fence.

Nathan Ellis to Rashid Khan, Can't find the gap! Good length in the channel, Rashid stays low and waits well before steering it away but gets it straight to a widish short third.

Nathan Ellis to Azmatullah Omarzai, Takes pace off, bowling it on a shortish length and outside off, hit away down towards covers for a single.

Nathan Ellis to Azmatullah Omarzai, Crunched away! Banged in short over middle, Omarzai picks it up and flat-bats the pull just wide of Glenn Maxwell at deep mid-wicket and Maxwell gets his body behind it. The batters pick up a couple of runs.

Nathan Ellis to Azmatullah Omarzai, Well bowled again! Full and quick, darted in at the toes, Azmatullah Omarzai just backs away to open up the off side but has to dig it out.

Nathan Ellis to Azmatullah Omarzai, Nicely bowled! Slow and short as well, outside off, gets this one to move away as well. Omarzai stays put and swings at it but is well beaten.

Ben Dwarshuis to Rashid Khan, And again! Back of a length and angled across off, Rashid looks to cut it away but is beaten for pace.

Ben Dwarshuis to Rashid Khan, Beaten! Just short of a good length and angled across off, Rashid just has a slight shuffle across and looks to guide it away but misses.

Ben Dwarshuis to Rashid Khan, Oh, sloppy in the field from Australia again! Hard length outside off, Omarzai just taps it towards backward point where Nathan Ellis lets it straight through the legs and gives away a couple of runs.

Ben Dwarshuis to Azmatullah Omarzai, Short of a length and around leg, worked away off the hips down to deep backward square leg for one.

Ben Dwarshuis to Azmatullah Omarzai, Back of a length and over off, Omarzai stands tall and punches it away sweetly behind deep point. The batters do brilliantly to race back for the second run.