Afghanistan vs Australia: Champions Trophy 2025 Preview, Time, Venue, Squads

Afghanistan and Australia will face off in a crucial Champions Trophy 2025 match at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Friday, February 28. The match will begin at 2:00 PM PST, with the toss taking place at 1:30 PM.

This match is a virtual knockout as the winner will secure a place in the semi-finals. Australia currently has three points after beating England and sharing points in a washed-out match against South Africa. Afghanistan, on the other hand, recovered from a heavy loss to the Proteas by defeating England by eight runs.  

If Afghanistan wins, they will reach the semi-finals. If Australia wins, they will also advance. However, the losing team might still have a slim chance depending on South Africa’s last game.  
 
Australia will be confident under the leadership of Steve Smith. Josh Inglis played a key role in their victory over England with his maiden ODI century. However, they will have to be cautious of Afghanistan’s strong spin attack, which could trouble them on the Lahore pitch.  

Squads:
Afghanistan: 
Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Ikram Alikhil, Gulbadin Naib, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Nangyal Kharoti, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Farid Malik, Naveed Zadran. Reserves: Darwish Rasooli, Bilal Sami.

Australia:
Matthew Short, Travis Head, Steven Smith(c), Marnus Labuschagne, Josh Inglis(w), Alex Carey, Glenn Maxwell, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Spencer Johnson, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Aaron Hardie, Sean Abbott, Tanveer Sangha

Weather Report:
The weather in Lahore is expected to be clear, with no rain predicted. The temperature will remain in the 20s throughout the match, ensuring good playing conditions.  

Pitch Report: 
The pitch at Gaddafi Stadium is usually good for batting. Dew might play a role in the second innings, making it harder for bowlers to grip the ball. Because of this, teams winning the toss might prefer to chase.