A substandard drainage system at Pakistan’s Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore is being blamed for the washout of the Champions Trophy 2025 match between Afghanistan and Australia on Friday. A mere 30 minutes of rain during Australia’s innings was enough to overwhelm the ground’s drainage capabilities, leading to the match being called off after over an hour’s wait. Ground staff efforts, including using mops and sponges, proved insufficient to make the field playable.
Social media was quickly flooded with criticism from fans directed at Pakistan, the host nation, for the inadequate drainage system at the venue. This match was the third of the tournament to be abandoned due to rain.
Australia has secured a place in the Champions Trophy 2025 semi-finals as a result of the washout against Afghanistan in Lahore. The shared points from the abandoned match pushed Australia to four points, guaranteeing their progression to the next stage.
Rain began during Australia’s chase, and despite the rain stopping, the ground remained too waterlogged for play to resume. This outcome means Steve Smith’s team progresses to the semi-finals.
Afghanistan’s chances of reaching the semi-finals are now slim. They now require a very significant victory for England against South Africa to advance.
Before the rain interruption, Travis Head was batting aggressively and remained unbeaten on 59 off 40 balls, helping Australia reach 109 for 1 in 12.5 overs while chasing a target of 274. Earlier in the day, Afghanistan’s Sediqullah Atal (85) and Azmatullah Omarzai (67) had scored half-centuries, enabling Afghanistan to post a total of 273 before being bowled out in 50 overs after choosing to bat first. Ben Dwarshuis was the leading wicket-taker for Australia with 3 wickets for 47 runs, while Spencer Johnson and Adam Zampa each took 2 wickets.
