Rawalpindi, Feb 26 ,2025: The highly anticipated showdown between England and South Africa was abandoned without a single ball being bowled on Tuesday, forcing both teams to share a point each.
The washout has complicated the semi-final race for both Australia and South Africa. A victory in this contest would have virtually secured a last-four spot for the winning side, but with the match being called off, the battle for qualification remains wide open.
Despite the shared points, South Africa maintains a slight edge over Australia in terms of net run rate. However, both teams now face a must-win situation in their final Group B matches. Should either side falter in their next game, they may have to depend on other results to keep their semi-final hopes alive.
Australia is set to take on Afghanistan in Lahore on Friday, while South Africa will lock horns with England on Saturday.
The Aussies have a recent history of close encounters with Afghanistan. They suffered a crucial defeat against them in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 and barely survived in a dramatic clash during the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, where Glenn Maxwell’s heroics rescued them from the brink of elimination.
Australia’s captain, Steve Smith, acknowledged Afghanistan’s threat after the washout.
“Yeah, Afghanistan is a dangerous team on their day, like every other side in this tournament,” Smith remarked.
“That’s the beauty of this event – with the top eight teams competing, anyone can pull off a big win. We need to be at our best in the next game.”
Meanwhile, South Africa’s path will become clearer before their Saturday clash with England. However, Proteas skipper Temba Bavuma remains focused on his team’s performance rather than permutations.
“Our mindset is simple – we go in to win,” Bavuma told the media.
“England, on paper, is one of the strongest teams, so we know we’ll have to bring our A-game. But for now, we have a couple of days to rest before we begin preparations for that match.”
The semi-final picture could shift further after Wednesday’s crucial encounter between England and Afghanistan in Lahore. Both sides remain winless in Group B, making it a do-or-die match for them.
The Impressive Times
No Comments: