Afghanistan are set to face Australia in this all-important encounter in Lahore, which is a effectively an eliminator.
For Match 10 of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, here are our preview and predictions.
ICC Champions Trophy 2025 | Match 10: Afghanistan vs Australia | 14:30 IST, February 28
Australia’s match with South Africa was washed out and so points were shared. South Africa have a far superior net run rate compared to both Australia and Afghanistan, so the onus is on these two teams to win this massive encounter.
Australia’s bowling remains a concern. That said, Lahore has a good batting strip, and as they proved against England, the Aussies are capable of chasing down 350+ totals with ease.
However, the Afghans can’t be underestimated. In their last match against England, they lost early wickets but managed to consolidate a partnership in the middle and then went slam-bang in the last 20 overs to reach a massive total of 325/7. Opener Ibrahim Zadran was the star of the show with a record individual score of 177 (146). In response, England’s Joe Root led the fight for his team with a century but without much support as the Three Lions got bowled out for 317, with Azmatullah Omarzai taking a five-wicket haul to knock them out.
Even though Australia are a high-quality side, they cannot underestimate Afghanistan. In the 2023 ODI World Cup, were it not for a once-in-a-lifetime knock from Glenn Maxwell, they would have been handed a major upset. This could pan out to be another thrilling encounter, but considering Australia’s in-form batting lineup we back them to send the Afghans packing.
Fantasy XI: Travis Head, Ibrahim Zadran, Steve Smith (c), Marnus Labuschagne, Josh Englis (wk), Alex Carey, Glenn Maxwell, Adam Zampa, Rashid Khan, Ben Dwarshuis, Azmatullah Omarzai
Winners Prediction: Australia
Venue: Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, Pakistan
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