Australia qualified for the Champions Trophy semi-finals after their Group B match against Afghanistan ended without a result in persistent rain in Lahore on Friday.

Chasing 274 for victory at Gaddafi Stadium, Australia were 109-1 in 12.5 overs when rain stopped play, giving them four points in their three games.

Afghanistan, who have three points from two games, need England to beat South Africa by a big margin in Karachi on Saturday to sneak into the last four on net run rate.

Afghanistan’s -0.99 net run-rate is inferior to South Africa’s 2.14 despite beating England by eight runs in Lahore on Wednesday.

EXPLAINED: Proteas’ Champions Trophy permutations

Australia were well placed to chase down the target with opener Travis Head not out after a 40-ball 59 spiced with nine fours and a six.

Steve Smith was unbeaten on 19 after Matthew Short was dismissed for 20.

Heavy rain stopped play and as water pooled in the stadium the umpires ended the match at 8:55pm.

Afghanistan had totalled 273 all out in 50 overs after they winning the toss and batting.

Sediqullah Atal hit 85 and all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai 67 as they sought a win to seal a semi-final berth.

In overcast conditions, Afghanistan lost opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz for nought in the first over to Spencer Johnson.

Ibrahim Zadran, hero of Afghanistan’s win over England in the first match with the highest-ever Champions trophy score of 177, added 67 for the second wicket with Atal before he fell for 22 to spinner Adam Zampa.

Atal and captain Hashmatullah Shahidi (20) put on 68 for the fourth wicket before Australia fought back with four wickets for just 40 runs.

Atal’s 95-ball innings included six fours and three sixes.

At 199-7 Afghanistan were in danger of being dismissed for a below-par total, but Omarzai held the innings together, smashing five sixes in a 63-ball knock and adding an invaluable 74 runs with the last three wickets.

Rashid Khan chipped in with a 17-ball 19 with two boundaries.

Ben Dwarshuis was the best Australian bowler with 3-47. Zampa took 2-48 and Johnson finished with 2-49.

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Australia qualified for the Champions Trophy semi-finals when rain cut short their match against Afghanistan in Lahore.

Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi has targeted another big scalp in the form of Australia after knocking England out of the Champions Trophy, with a semi-final spot the prize.

The Champions Trophy debutants sent England crashing out of the 50-over tournament with a thrilling eight-run victory in Lahore on Wednesday.

Afghanistan similarly stunned then holders England at the 2023 World Cup in India.

Next they play world champions Australia at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on Friday in their final group match and must win to reach the last four of the eight-nation tournament.

HIGHLIGHTS: Afghanistan vs England (Champions Trophy)

“Obviously a win like this boosts every team’s confidence and strengthens them,” Shahidi said after Afghanistan sent England packing. “Our morale has increased even more.

“The upcoming match will be crucial for both teams in the race for the semi-finals.

“Australia is a tough and good team. I have said this in previous conferences as well – that we came here to play good cricket.

“We will try to play a positive game. Just like we defeated England today, we hope to beat Australia as well.

“We won’t put that pressure on ourselves by thinking too much about the semi-final qualification.”

Rain is forecast in Lahore but even a washout will keep Afghanistan in contention of reaching the semi-finals, but they will then have to depend on other results or net run-rate.

Afghanistan, a growing force in white-ball cricket, and Australia have played four ODIs previously with the Australians winning all of them.

At the 2023 World Cup, Afghanistan had Australia on the ropes at 91-7 when a cramping Glenn Maxwell hammered an unbeaten 201 to pull off victory in hot and humid Mumbai.

Afghanistan roared back to beat Australia at last year’s T20 World Cup and they reached the semi-finals in a landmark achievement.

Asked about the threat that the big-hitting all-rounder Maxwell poses, Shahidi said: “I know that he played really well in the 2023 World Cup, but that’s part of history.”

Afghanistan suffered a 107-run hammering to South Africa in their Champions Trophy opener last week but bounced back to post 325-7 against England.

Ibrahim Zadran smashed 177, the highest individual innings in Champions Trophy history, after Afghanistan chose to bat and were struggling on a precarious 37-3.

In reply, England were all out for 317 to suffer their second straight defeat.

The 23-year-old Zadran, who scored 17 against South Africa, is back in action after a long lay-off following ankle surgery.

“Even though he was away from cricket for six months, it’s never easy for a player to return from injury and make such a strong comeback in a high-stakes match,” said Shahidi. “I am extremely happy for him because he is a very talented and hard-working player.”

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Ibrahim Zadran’s 177 set up Afghanistan’s eight-run win against England in Lahore.

Opener Ibrahim Zadran’s 177 and five wickets by Azmatullah Omarzai helped Afghanistan claim a thrilling eight-run victory against England in Lahore on Wednesday.

Afghanistan posted 325-7 in a virtual knockout tie and then bowled out England for 317 in 49.5 overs to stay alive in the race for a semi-final place while England have no chance of reaching the last four.

Joe Root’s 120 went in vain as England lost regular wickets to lose their second straight ODI to the Afghans after their shock defeat in the 2023 World Cup in India.

Needing 13 off the last six balls with one wicket in hand, pace bowler Omarzai kept calm to give away just four runs and dismiss Adil Rashid.

Playing under the cloud of boycott calls from some British politicians over the plight of women in the Taliban-ruled nation, Afghanistan elected to bat in a bid to bounce back from their opening loss to South Africa.

But they soon slipped to 37-3 inside nine overs before 23-year-old Zadran pulled the innings together with a fourth-wicket partnership of 103 with captain Hashmatullah Shahidi, who made 40.

Zadran later added 111 for the sixth wicket with Mohammad Nabi, who hit 40 in 24 balls.

Zadran took the England bowling apart and went past his previous ODI best of 162 in his 146-ball knock laced with 12 fours and six sixes.

He not only broke his own record for Afghanistan’s highest individual ODI score but also a tournament record, days after Ben Duckett’s 165 in England’s opening loss to Australia.

“I think it was one of the best ODI innings I have ever seen,” said Shahidi.

HIGHLIGHTS: Afghanistan vs England (Champions Trophy)

Mark Wood’s injury in the middle of his fourth over hampered England as the fast bowler managed just eight overs and went off with a knee issue.

In reply, England lost two early wickets to be 30-2 after senior spinner Mohammad Nabi struck with his first ball to send back Jamie Smith for nine.

Duckett attempted to hit back in a 68-run stand with Root to steady the chase but Rashid Khan trapped the left-handed opener lbw for 38.

Harry Brook looked fluent in his 25 but fell caught and bowled to Nabi in a soft dismissal to further put England in trouble.

Root kept calm and along with captain Jos Buttler, who took time to settle before hitting two sixes, put on 83 runs to keep the chase going.

Afghanistan bowlers kept up the pressure with dot balls and Omarzai got the skipper out for 38 off a top edge caught at deep square-leg and Liam Livingstone departed soon after.

But Root hung on as he reached his first ODI ton in almost five years and 37 innings and with Jamie Overton kept chipping away with regular boundaries.

But Omarzai got the prized wicket as he had Root caught behind.

“He played an unbelievable innings tonight. The way to handle pressure in a run-chase,” said Buttler. “He needed one of the other top six batters to stay in with him and take the game deeper.”

The pendulum kept swinging as Omarzai dismissed Overton but despite Jofra Archer’s late push England went down as the third team to be eliminated in the eight-nation tournament after hosts Pakistan and Bangladesh.

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Photo: Sameer Ali/Getty Images

Afghanistan knocked England out of the Champions Trophy with a thrilling eight-wicket win in Lahore.

Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi has warned England that memories of their famous 2023 World Cup win over the then holders gives them the confidence to pull off a Champions Trophy surprise.

Both teams need a win on Wednesday in Lahore to keep alive their hopes of reaching the semi-finals in the 50-over tournament after losing their respective openers.

The match is a virtual knockout after Tuesday’s Group B fixture between Australia and the Proteas was washed out without a ball being bowled and the teams shared a point each.

Afghanistan shocked England in 2023 when they humbled the defending world champions by 69 runs in New Delhi.

Afghanistan’s rise in white-ball cricket has been rapid.

“We worked hard to achieve at this level and are ready to play every game in a positive way,” Shahidi said on the eve of the pivotal Group B clash. “We will take that confidence with us what happened in the 2023 World Cup. But at the same time, tomorrow is a new day and we will try our best to beat them again.”

England captain Jos Buttler said Afghanistan are a top team but that his side’s focus would be on playing their own brand of cricket.

“Obviously a really competitive side, they’ve been performing really well, getting better and better over the years and I give them lots of respect,” said Buttler.

“They have a unique style in some senses, some great spin options, Rashid [Khan] and Noor [Ahmad] obviously two standout guys that we need to prepare really well for, but as much as we look at the opposition, it’s focusing on ourselves, bringing the best version of our cricket.”

Afghanistan started the eight-nation Champions Trophy with a 107-run hammering by the Proteas in Karachi.

Their bowlers took a beating in South Africa’s impressive total of 315-6. Ace leg-spinner Rashid went wicketless and conceded 59 runs from his 10 overs.

In turn Afghanistan were bowled out for a meagre 208.

Shahidi, however, expects a much better show from his side at the Gaddafi Stadium and believes the Afghan spinners could be the difference on what he expects to be a turning pitch.

“When we bat first that gives us more chance. At the same time in the last World Cup we beat teams batting second,” Shahidi told reporters. “But in the South Africa game the wicket was supportive for fast bowling and there was no support for spinners. I didn’t see even one ball turn.

“The world knows we have quality spinners. Hopefully we have some support for our spinners in tomorrow’s game.”

Buttler praised the Afghanistan spinners but said with a mix of spin and the pace bowlers at his disposition that he is “comfortable with the balance of his team”.

MORE: Afghan cricketers in tricky situation – Trott

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Afghanistan coach Jonathan Trott says his players know there are “things that are not correct” in their country.

Afghanistan are set to face England in Lahore on Wednesday in their second group match of the Champions Trophy.

Ahead of the contest, more than 160 British politicians have called for England to boycott the game in protest against the Taliban government’s restrictions on women’s rights in Afghanistan.

“They know the difference between right and wrong. It is a real tricky situation for them,” former SA-born England batsman Trott told the BBC from Lahore. “They know who they are playing for and representing.

“We work hard to bring joy to the country and the guys are passionate, brave and proud of being able to do that, but knowing full well that there are things that are not correct.”

Female participation in sport has effectively been outlawed since the Taliban returned to power in 2021.

That puts the Afghanistan cricket board at odds with ICC rules, though the men’s team are still allowed to compete.

The ECB resisted the demand to boycott their Champions Trophy group game but said it would not schedule a bilateral series against Afghanistan.

Both teams need a win on Wednesday in Lahore to keep alive their hopes of reaching the semi-finals in the 50-over tournament after losing their respective openers.

Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi sidestepped direct questions on Tuesday regarding the boycott calls against his team.

“We are cricket players, we are sportsmen,” said Shahidi. “What we control is what we do on the ground, we don’t worry what is happening off the ground. So our confidence is good.”

Last month South Africa sports minister Gayton McKenzie backed demands from British politicians for a playing boycott of Afghanistan.

Australia which is set to face Afghanistan on Friday have cancelled a T20I series and a Test against Afghanistan in the last two years, but also plans to play their Champions Trophy game.

“Everyone likes to see everyone play … we are only cricket players we can control things in the ground and we are always trying to give our best when we play,” Shahidi said when asked about support for female cricket.

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Kagiso Rabada took three wickets as the Proteas crushed Afghanistan in Karachi.

Photo: Asif Hassan/AFP via Getty Images

Opener Ryan Rickelton struck a maiden ODI hundred as South Africa routed Afghanistan by 107 runs in the Champions Trophy in Karachi on Friday.

Rickelton cracked a 106-ball 103 with fours boundaries and a six to anchor South Africa’s imposing total of 315-6 in the Group B match at the National Stadium.

The Proteas’ pace attack of Kagiso Rabada (3-36), Wiaan Mulder (2-36) and Lungi Ngidi (2-56) then dismissed highly-fancied Afghanistan for just 208 in 43.3 overs.

South Africa blunted the threat of Afghanistan’s slow bowlers with star leg-spinner Rashid Khan going wicketless for 59 runs in his 10 overs.

Rahmat Shah top-scored for Afghanistan with a fighting 92-ball 90 with nine fours and a six before he was the last man out.

Chasing a formidable target, Afghanistan desperately needed a fast start but lost flamboyant openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz for 10 and Ibrahim Zadran for only 17 by the 10th over.

Sediqullah Atal fell for 16 while captain Hashmatullah Shahidi went without scoring as Afghanistan were left teetering at 50-4.

Shah and Azmatullah Omarzai (18) took the score to 89 before Rabada and Marco Jansen, who got rid of Mohammad Nabi, struck to effectively end Afghanistan’s hopes.

Rashid Khan briefly entertained the crowd with a quickfire 13-ball 18 including a six and three boundaries.

HIGHLIGHTS: Proteas vs Afghanistan (Champions Trophy)

Proteas captain Temba Bavuma hailed a team performance.

“It’s a clinical performance. We got the rub of the green with the toss but it was a brave decision to bat first not knowing how it would play. We took care of that, got a competitive score and then were clinical with the ball.”

Shahid rued a flopped batting show.

“I think the batting was not good enough today,” said Shahidi. “The pitch was helping their bowlers. We will move forward and play quality cricket in the next two games.”

Earlier, Rickelton was ably assisted by Bavuma (58), Rassie van der Dussen (52) and Aiden Markram (52*) to steer South Africa to a solid total after they won the toss and batted.

Nabi, who finished with 2-51, provided an early breakthrough with his first ball by dismissing opener Tony de Zorzi, caught at mid-on for 11.

Rickelton and Bavuma then added 129 for the second wicket as Afghanistan toiled in the field.

Bavuma hit five fours in his 76-ball knock before he was finally caught off a short Nabi delivery to give some joy to hundreds of Afghan fans in an otherwise sparse crowd.

Rickelton, who has two Test centuries to his name but a previous best of only 91 in ODIs, completed his first white-ball century with a single.

Two runs later, however, he was gone, victim of an unlucky run out.

Coming down the pitch to drive Rashid, Rickelton was forced to turn quickly and dive back into his crease as the bowler collected and fired the ball to wicketkeeper Rahmanullah Gurbaz.

Rickelton appeared to make his ground but replays showed that his bat was slightly raised so not in the crease when Gurbaz whipped off the bails.

Van der Dussen hammered two sixes and three fours in his 46-ball knock before falling to spinner Noor Ahmad in the 43rd over.

It was left to Markram to take the Proteas past the 300-mark, clubbing six fours and a six in a 36-ball 52* that helped the Proteas to add 50 runs in the last five overs.

Australia meet England in another Group B clash in Lahore on Saturday.

Pakistan, India, New Zealand and Bangladesh are in Group A. The top two teams from each group will qualify for the semi-finals.

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