It’s a do or die conflict in Lahore on Friday night time, with the winner of Australia vs Afghanistan progressing to the Semi Finals of the Champions Trophy. Jack Tobin has you coated together with his preview for this excessive stakes conflict, good luck to everybody following alongside!
2025 ICC Champions Trophy Preview & Betting Suggestions
Australia vs Afghanistan
Lahore, Friday twenty eighth February, 8pm AEDT
Australia
Predicted XI: Matt Brief, Travis Head, Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Josh Inglis, Alex Carey, Glenn Maxwell, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Spencer Johnson
Australia’s path to the Semi Finals was hampered by rain on Tuesday night time, with their match towards South Africa washed out and not using a ball being bowled. It leaves Australia in second place in Group B on three factors, with two potential avenues to the Semi Finals. The simplest route is by beating Afghanistan, in the event that they try this they are going to safe a spot within the knockouts.
If Australia loses on Friday, they are going to want England to beat South Africa by a good margin given the Aussies are 1.66 behind the Proteas on internet run price. Given England are already knocked out, it’s troublesome to see the second state of affairs occurring, so it’s a fairly easy equation of win or go residence for the world champions.
Given the washout on Tuesday, it’s troublesome to see Australia altering the lineup that was profitable on the Gaddafi Stadium on Saturday. Tanveer Sangha may very well be included given spin was efficient within the England vs Australia match, however given they’ve choices with Labuschagne, Brief, Head and Maxwell it looms probably will probably be an unchanged XI.
Afghanistan
Predicted XI: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Azmatullah Omarzai, Gulbadin Naib, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi
Afghanistan produced a well-known efficiency in an exciting 8 run win over England on Wednesday. After falling to three/37, opener Ibrahim Zadran produced the best innings in Afghanistan’s historical past, smashing 177 off 146 deliveries to pull Afghanistan to 7/325. Ibrahim was supported by Mohammad Nabi (40 off 24) and Azmatullah Omarzai (41 off 31) in what was a outstanding restoration, scoring 113 runs off the ultimate 10 overs.
Azmatullah rounded out a powerful all-around efficiency, taking 5/58 to bowl his nation to victory. Azmatullah took the essential wickets of Joe Root and Jos Buttler, and bowled brilliantly on the demise when England have been in a powerful place needing simply 17 off 14 balls.
Afghanistan will come into this recreation stuffed with perception after beating Australia within the T20 World Cup in 2024, and having Australia on the ropes within the 2023 World Cup earlier than Glenn Maxwell’s miracle. Afghanistan aren’t walkovers anymore they usually definitely aren’t afraid of the perfect nations in world cricket. Notably in these situations, Afghanistan are able to beating anybody.
Match Prediction
The 2 matches performed in Lahore thus far have supplied scores of 8/351, 5/356, 7/325 and 317, so protected to say we are able to count on one other excessive scoring affair on Friday night time. Batting second can present a giant benefit given the due, nevertheless Afghanistan did discover a option to maintain on regardless of batting first. Each batting models have proven what they’re able to, so this recreation will largely come right down to which bowling assault can maintain up greatest.
With 4 half time choices to go alongside their 4 entrance line bowlers, Australia have the range and spinning choices to limit Afghanistan on this floor. Australia have a 4-0 report in ODI cricket towards Afghanistan, and they’ll discover a option to get throughout the road to safe a spot within the closing 4.
Australia to Win
$1.26 (1.5 Items)
Prop Wager
He didn’t get going within the first recreation of the match, however there isn’t a extra dependable batsman in Australia’s aspect than captain Steve Smith. Smith has a outstanding means to carry out in massive video games, having scored 1227 runs at a median of 42.3 in ICC ODI tournaments. Smith averages 56.50 in ODI’s towards, and with development to the Semi Finals on the road count on a giant efficiency from the skipper to get his nation by way of.
Steve Smith – High Australian Bat
$4.20
