Australia qualified for the semi-finals of the Champions Trophy at the expense of Afghanistan as their match in Lahore was abandoned following heavy rain.
Sediqullah Atal’s composed 85 helped Afghanistan post a competitive, if not especially threatening, total of 273 on another batter-friendly surface at the Gaddafi Stadium.
His 95-ball innings included three sixes and six fours, while Azmatullah Omarzai contributed a brisk 67 off 63 balls, hammering five sixes.
Ben Dwarshuis finished as the pick of Australia’s bowlers with 3-47, while fellow left-arm seamer Spencer Johnson and leg-spinner Adam Zampa picked up two wickets each.
Perhaps with an eye on the weather forecast, and any possible revised total under the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method, Australia began the chase with real intent.
Opener Travis Head rode his luck and punished Rashid Khan’s drop off Fazalhaq Farooqi at the start of the fourth over, when he was on six, by whipping the Afghanistan quick over the ropes for a maximum the next ball.
Head raced to 59 in 40 balls and, with 165 runs needed from 37.1 overs, he and Steve Smith looked well set for Australia before a heavy downpour left pools of water on the outfield and conditions unplayable.
The result means Australia have four points and will go through as winners of Group B if England beat South Africa in Karachi on Saturday.
Afghanistan can mathematically still reach the semi-finals but it would require a huge victory by England to enable them to overhaul the Proteas’ net run rate.
Should South Africa triumph – or if their game is washed out – they will progress as group winners and Australia will go through as runners-up.
Both semi-finals and the final have reserve days should they be affected by weather.
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