International Sports
Champions Trophy: How washed out Australia-South Africa match impacts Group B teams
Both South Africa and Australia would need to rely on previous results, should they lose their respective next games
For Australia and South Africa, Tuesday’s match was supposed to have all-but booked the winning team their spot in the semi-finals, however with their ICC Champions Trophy match abandoned due to rain, all four Group B teams are still in the fray.
So how does the washout of the Australia-South Africa match impact the Champions Trophy 2025 semi-finals race?
South Africa remain ahead of the Aussies on net run rate, but will head into the final round of Group B showdowns expecting a win-and-in scenario. Both the Proteas and Australia would need to rely on other results, should they drop their respective next games.
Australia goes up against Afghanistan on Friday in Lahore, before South Africa does battle with England on Saturday.
The Aussies have recent white-ball history with Afghanistan, losing their crucial ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 clash and scraping by in dramatic circumstances back at the 50-over ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in 2023, where it took a Glenn Maxwell miracle to dig the Aussies out of a huge hole.
So if anyone knows what kind of threat Jonathan Trott’s side possesses, it’s Australia.
“Yeah (Afghanistan) are a dangerous side on their day, like every team in this tournament,” Aussie captain Steve Smith said after the washout.
“I think that’s the beauty of this tournament, with the eight best teams coming up against it. Anyone can have a good day. So, we’re going to have to be on next game.”
By the time South Africa clashes with England on Saturday, the equation will be clearer for both sides.
But Proteas captain Temba Bavuma will attempt to make sure his side isn’t getting distracted and caught up by scenarios.
“Obviously, we go into the game with winning (on our minds)” he told the media.
“But I think, again, that becomes another important game. England on paper is one of the stronger sides, so we know that as a group we’ll have to play to our best.
“But we’ve got a couple of days now. Kind of put our feet up and then probably after tomorrow start preparing for that clash.”
Plenty will depend on the result of Wednesday’s clash involving England and Afghanistan. They will face off in Lahore.
Fans in Afghanistan can tune in to Ariana Television to watch this high-stakes match that starts at 1:30pm Kabul time. The pre-match discussion will start at 12:30pm.
England batter Jordan Cox struck an unbeaten 61 as defending champions Dubai Capitals secured a six-wicket victory over Sharjah Warriorz to book their place in the International League T20 play-offs.
Cox’s 50-ball knock included six boundaries and a six, helping Capitals chase down a target of 135 with five deliveries remaining. Opener Shayan Jahangir also played a key role, scoring 51 from 39 balls.
Jahangir and Mohammad Nabi were both removed by Sikandar Raza, while Leus du Plooy departed cheaply, leaving Capitals at 114-4 in the 18th over. Cox then took charge to guide his team to victory.
Earlier, Sharjah Warriorz posted 134-8 from their allotted 20 overs, with West Indies batter Johnson Charles top-scoring with 43.
The Warriorz remain in contention for the final play-off spot alongside Gulf Giants and Abu Dhabi Knight Riders. Meanwhile, Dubai Capitals can still finish second in the standings, giving them two opportunities to qualify for the final on 4 January.
Cricket fans across Afghanistan can watch the next ILT20 match between Sharjah Warriorz and Desert Vipers on Ariana Television tomorrow, Friday, December 26, from 7pm.
International Sports
Ariana News to broadcast key AFC Champions League Two clash
The match will be played in Riyadh, where Al-Nassr will aim to make home advantage count following their strong performances earlier in the campaign.
Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nassr will take on Iraq’s Al-Zawraa in a crucial AFC Champions League Two group-stage encounter tomorrow, Wednesday December 24, as both sides look to strengthen their positions in the competition.
The match will be played in Riyadh, where Al-Nassr will aim to make home advantage count following their strong performances earlier in the campaign.
With a squad packed with international stars and attacking depth, the Saudi club will be targeting another positive result to move closer to qualification for the knockout stages.
Al-Zawraa, one of Iraq’s most successful clubs, arrive determined to bounce back and keep their continental hopes alive.
Known for their discipline and resilience, the Baghdad-based side will be looking to frustrate the hosts and capitalize on any opportunities on the counterattack.
The encounter is expected to draw significant attention from football fans across the region, as the AFC Champions League Two continues to showcase competitive clashes between leading clubs.
The match will be broadcast across Afghanistan live and exclusively on Ariana News from 8:30pm.
The Dubai Capitals secured a crucial six-wicket victory over the Gulf Giants at the Zayed Cricket Stadium on Sunday, climbing to second place in the ILT20 standings and handing the Giants a fourth straight defeat.
Mustafizur Rahman starred with the ball, taking three wickets in a decisive over to help restrict the Giants to 156 all out, despite solid knocks from Azmatullah Omarzai (43) and James Vince (36).
In reply, Shayan Jahangir’s steady 48 and an unbeaten 47 from Rovman Powell guided the Capitals to victory with four balls to spare. Mohammad Nabi added a quick 25 not out to seal the chase.
In Dubai, MI Emirates continued their strong form with a composed four-wicket win over table-toppers Desert Vipers, registering their third consecutive victory of the season.
Shakib Al Hasan delivered an outstanding all-round performance, claiming 2 for 14 to limit the Vipers to 124 before anchoring the chase with an unbeaten 17. Kieron Pollard’s brisk 26 swung the momentum decisively as MI Emirates reached the target with 15 balls remaining.
Cricket fans across Afghanistan can watch the next ILT20 match between Sharjah Warriorz and MI Emirates on Ariana Television today, Monday, December 22, from 2pm.
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