Afghanistan and Australia face each other in a virtual quarter-final clash at the ICC Champions Trophy today at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. The winning team will qualify for the semi-finals while the loser will be more or less knocked out. What will happen if the clash is washed out due to rain?
The 10th match of the ICC Champions Trophy will see Afghanistan and Australia locking horns at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore today. Both teams must win to stay alive in the tournament. A nice little rivalry is building up between the two teams, with off-field drama as well, with Australia avoiding to play Afghanistan in bilateral series due to human rights issues.
Australia prevailed in the ODI World Cup with Glenn Maxwell‘s unbelievable double century at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai that helped them chase 292 runs from being 91/7 at one stage. Afghanistan hit back in the T20 World Cup, winning by 21 runs and yet again, it was Maxwell who shone with the bat, this time in a losing cause.
Afghanistan might have to come up with special plans only for Maxwell even as they would be hoping for the weather to stay fair as well. Interestingly, after Rawalpindi, the rain followed the Australian team to Lahore as well. It has been pelting down in the city today since morning, however, the forecast is for much better weather in the afternoon.
The drainage system at the Gaddafi Stadium will be tested, and there is a slight chance of rain in the evening as well. So what happens if the Afghanistan vs Australia clash gets washed out today due to rain or conditions don’t improve at the venue?
Australia will qualify for semi-finals with four points while Afghanistan will be on the tenterhooks depending on England beating South Africa. In fact, they would need England, who are already knocked out, to absolutely pummel South Africa with net run-rate coming into the equation. From Afghanistan’s point of view, they would want the rain to subside and conditions to improve soon to have a full match while Australia wouldn’t mind sitting in their hotel rooms having a sip of coffee, thereby, qualifying for the knockouts.
