Category: Sports

The stage is set for a cricketing spectacle in Dubai as two powerhouses, India and Australia, collide in a high-stakes semi-final of the ICC Champions Trophy today. With a place in Sunday’s final on the line, both teams will be fuelled by history, rivalry, and the hunger to prevail.

The echoes of 2023 linger
“There’s nothing more satisfying than hearing a big crowd go silent.” Pat Cummins’ words after Australia’s triumph over India in the 2023 ODI World Cup final still ring in the ears of Indian fans. While Cummins isn’t here this time, the challenge remains the same—can India break Australia’s dominance in ICC knockout matches?

Since their 2011 World Cup quarter-final clash, the two teams have met four times in ICC ODI tournaments, sharing two wins each. India’s victories came in the league stages of the 2019 and 2023 World Cups, but Australia struck when it mattered most—in the 2015 semi-finals and the 2023 final. The stakes couldn’t be higher as the two sides meet again with everything to play for. And here comes the role of 22 men, who will take the field today. Check out how the Playing 11s of both team could be for Champions Trophy 2025 semifinal today:

India Playing 11 vs Australia today: Spin-heavy or balanced attack?

The big question for India revolves around their spin combination. Should they go with four spinners or stick to three? And if it’s three, who gets the nod? Varun Chakravarthy’s five-wicket haul against New Zealand has complicated the decision, making him a strong contender for the playing XI. With the semi-final being played on the same pitch used for India’s clash against Pakistan on February 23, conditions will play a crucial role in shaping the team’s approach.

India Playing 11 (probables): Rohit Sharma (capt), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel, KL Rahul (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Varun Chakravarthy.

India squad for Champions Trophy 2025 semifinal: Rohit Sharma(c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel, KL Rahul(w), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, Rishabh Pant, Washington Sundar, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana

Australia Playing 11 reshuffle for semifinal: Connolly set for a debut?

Australia has been forced into a change with Matt Short ruled out due to injury, bringing Cooper Connolly into the squad. Given the spin-friendly conditions in Dubai, the left-arm spinning all-rounder is likely to slot in straight away. However, Short’s absence also means Australia loses a reliable off-spin option, which could influence their approach.

If Connolly plays, Australia must decide who partners Travis Head at the top. Josh Inglis, who has experience opening in ODIs, appears to be the frontrunner. Meanwhile, there’s also a case for a second frontline spinner in Tanveer Sangha if the conditions warrant it.

Australia Playing 11 (probables): Travis Head, Josh Inglis (wk), Steven Smith (capt), Marnus Labuschagne, Cooper Connolly, Alex Carey, Glenn Maxwell, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Spencer Johnson, Adam Zampa.

Australia squad for Champions Trophy 2025 semifinal: Jake Fraser-McGurk, Travis Head, Steven Smith(c), Marnus Labuschagne, Josh Inglis(w), Alex Carey, Glenn Maxwell, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Spencer Johnson, Sean Abbott, Aaron Hardie, Tanveer Sangha, Cooper Connolly. Business Standard

India will face Australia in the first semi-final of the Champions Trophy in Dubai on Tuesday after they beat New Zealand by 44 runs in the final group-stage fixture at the same venue on Sunday. New Zealand, meanwhile, will travel to Lahore to meet South Africa in the second semi-final on Wednesday.

Due to tangled scheduling, both Australia and South Africa had already flown to Dubai, with an ICC official saying the decision had been taken to allow the side that plays the semi-final in Dubai (Australia in this case) on March 4 the maximum time to prepare for that contest. However, it means South Africa find themselves in the sub-optimal position of having flown from Pakistan to Dubai recently, only to return to Pakistan soon after.

The tangled scheduling was a result of India not playing any of their games in Pakistan for the tournament, and they were supposed to play the semi-finals in Dubai, regardless of their standings in Group A. Such a scenario became all but inevitable after India refused to travel to Pakistan for the tournament, despite the country officially being the sole host of the tournament. The PCB had spent several months trying to get India to visit Pakistan, at one stage proposing hosting all their games in Lahore. However, the BCCI said the Indian government did not grant the team permission to play cricket in Lahore.

New Zealand are set to take an early-morning flight to Lahore from Dubai on Monday while South Africa will fly back to Pakistan later in the day after having spent around 36 hours in Dubai.

“Yeah…we will leave [Dubai] at 12.30 or 1 o’clock,” New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner said at the post-match presentation. “We get there and we can rest up and train and be ready to go.”

While Rohit Sharma was pleased with India’s showing – they are the only team with three wins in as many games in the Champions Trophy – he turned his focus to the semi-final against Australia.

“I think it [momentum] is very, very critical when you’re playing such a short tournament,” Rohit said after the win against New Zealand. “You try and possibly win every game that is in front of you and try and do everything right and while doing that, there are bound to be mistakes but as long as you correct them quickly, that is what matters. I thought the mistakes that we’ve been making from game one now, we tend to correct those mistakes and that is what is required.

“It [semi-final] is going to be a good game and obviously we know Australia has a rich history of playing ICC tournaments well. We do understand that; it’s about what we want to do against the opposition and try and do that right. We’re all looking forward to that contest and hopefully we can stitch one [more win] towards us.” ESPNcricinfo

Varun Chakravarthy claimed five wickets to help India defeat New Zealand by 44 runs and top Group A of the Champions Trophy. India will thus face Australia in the semi-finals while the losing team will meet South Africa. The Black Caps’ top scorer on the night was Kane Williamson, who fell for 81 runs as New Zealand chase the target of 250 in the final group stage game against India.

Earlier, New Zealand skipper Mitchell Santner had won the toss and opted to bowl first at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday. While Matt Henry scalped five wickets, New Zealand impressed with their fielding, especially with some spectacular catching from Kane Williamson (to send home Ravindra Jadeja) and Glenn Phillips (to dismiss Virat Kohli). Shreyas Iyer and Axar Patel had salvaged India’s hopes after the Men in Blue were reduced to 30/3 by the seventh over, losing Rohit Sharma (15), Shubman Gill (2) and Virat Kohli (11) cheaply. Shreyas scored 79 off 98 while Axar chipped in with 42 before both departed with the score reading 172/5.

India have always had a subpar record against New Zealand in global tournaments with the Black Caps winning 10 times as opposed to India’s 5 wins. The Rohit Sharma-led outfit will also be wary of the Kiwis subcontinent form with New Zealand having defeated Pakistan and South Africa in the Tri-Series before the Champions Trophy and then going on to win both their matches in the tournament against Pakistan and Bangladesh.

The Kiwis had also handed India their worst home series loss in recent memory when they whitewashed Rohit’s men 3-0 in the Test series last year. But India will find solace in the fact that the last time these two sides met in a 50-over ICC tournament, Rohit and Co had defeated the Kiwis in the semifinals of the 2023 ODI World Cup. Indian Express

The abandonment of the match means that Australia will advance to the semifinals with four points, while Afghanistan’s hopes of reaching the semifinals of Champions Trophy 2025 are hanging by a thread.

For Afghanistan to qualify, South Africa must lose to England by a significant margin as the Hashmatullah-led side’s Net Run Rate (NRR) of -0.99 further complicates their chances. Even if South Africa loses to England, Afghanistan’s poor NRR might still prevent them from qualifying.

Chasing a challenging target, Australia got off to a flying start as they scored 90-1 in the first powerplay.

Openers Matt Short and Travis Head got off to a flying start, scoring 44 runs within no time Matt Short departed in the fifth over with the score at 44. Travis Head, who was joined by Australian captain Steve Smith, continued to propel Australia’s innings before the rain forced the abandonment.

The duo added 65 runs for the second wicket before the rain interrupted the match with Steve Smith and Travis Head unbeaten at 19 and 59, respectively.

Travis Head smashed nine fours and a six in his 59 off 40 deliveries.

Earlier, Sediqullah Atal and Azmatullah Omarzai scored fifties as Afghanistan set a 274-run target for Australia in their Champions Trophy 2025 game

After electing to bat first, Afghanistan received an early blow as opening batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz was castled by Spencer Johnson on a duck in the very first over.

Sediqullah Atal then joined his opening partner Ibrahim Zadran and the two took Afghanistan to 70 before the latter fell on 22.

Rahmat Shah (12) was the next batter to depart, leaving the side at 91 over the loss of three wickets.

Meanwhile, Sediqullah Atal completed his fifty and shared a 68-run partnership with captain Hashmatullah Shahidi.

Atal was dismissed after scoring 85 runs while Shahidi scored 20 off 49 balls before his dismissal in the 36th over.

Mohammad Nabi was run out after scoring just one run and Gulbadin Naib managed to add four runs to the total in their Champions Trophy 2025 game against Australia.

All-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai was then involved in crucial late-inning partnerships with Rashid Khan (19) and Noor Ahmad (6) to take Afghanistan to 273.

Azmatullah Omarzai departed after a well-made 67 off 63 balls while Noor Ahmed was dismissed on the last ball of the inning as Afghanistan were bowled out for 273 in 50 overs.

For Australia, Ben Dwarshuis took three wickets while Spencer Johnson and Adam Zampa picked up two wickets each. Nathan Ellis and Glenn Maxwell bagged one wicket each.

Champions Trophy 2025 after they chased down the highest-ever score at an ICC event against England.

Their second fixture against South Africa was abandoned due to rain and shared points with South Africa.

Afghanistan lost their opening game to South Africa, however, they made a remarkable comeback in the tournament by defeating England to knock them out of contention for a semi-final spot. ARY News

South Africa and England cricket teams will be squaring off in match number 11 of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy. The match also marks the final Group B fixture of the competition. The much-awaited contest will be hosted by the National Stadium in Karachi on Saturday, March 1 and the action will commence from 2:30 PM IST onwards.

South Africa won its opening match of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy against Afghanistan by 107 runs. Their subsequent fixture against Australia was washed out due to rains in Rawalpindi. At the moment, the Proteas are firmly placed among the top two sides on the Group B standing with three points and a formidable NRR of 2.140.

The English cricket team is yet to win a single game in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy. After succumbing to huge defeats against Australia and Afghanistan, the Englishmen are placed at the bottom of the Group B points table with a dismal NRR of -0.305.

National Stadium, Karachi Pitch Report: How Will The Surface Behave
The surface at the National Stadium in Karachi seems to be pristine for batting, at least off late. The average first innings total at the venue in the last four ODIs, all played in February, has turned out to be close to 308. Moreover, teams batting first managed to rack up totals in excess of 300 on three of those occasions. That said, fast bowlers can make early inroads by making full use of the new ball. Spinners might also get some turn off the pitch in Karachi.

SA vs ENG: Predicted Game Changers
Rassie van der Dussen
South African top-order batter Rassie van der Dussen cracked a match-winning 52 from just 46 balls against Afghanistan a week ago in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy. The 36-year-old holds a prolific batting average of 48.38 in ODIs, and he holds the ability of adapting his gameplay according to the situation of the match.

Liam Livingstone
English all-rounder Liam Livingstone holds a breathtaking strike rate of 108.97 in ODIs. Currently running out of form for a while, the 31-year-old might well be due for a big score as England faces South Africa in a dead-rubber. Livingstone can also deliver timely breakthroughs with the ball, especially during the middle overs. He has already picked up three wickets off late to emerge as England’s second highest wicket-taker of the ongoing 2025 ICC Champions Trophy.

SA vs ENG: Match Prediction
Predicted Scores
1st innings: 315-320
2nd innings: 285-290

Predicted Winner: The team batting first will have a better chance of winning the match, as per the recent track record of the venue. Form wise, South Africa will be considered as favorites over winless England team to win the match. Cricket.one

Shubman Gill may make his ODI captaincy debut in the last group-stage match of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 against New Zealand in Dubai on Sunday as the Indian team management is mulling resting regular captain Rohit Sharma from the inconsequential match, reported The Indian Express. Rohit hurt his hamstring while chasing a ball in the early part of Pakistan’s innings in India’s second Group A match last Sunday (February 23). He seemed to struggle with it before leaving the field at the end of the 26th over.

Gill, the designated vice-captain, stepped up to lead India for some time. Rohit returned to the field after a few overs to take up leadership duties, but he did not seem to be a 100% fit. Concerns about Rohit’s fitness became real when he did not bat in India’s first training session in Dubai on Wednesday, two days after their victory against Pakistan.

According to multiple reports, Rohit was the only Indian batter not batting in the nets during India’s rigorous training session on Wednesday. The Indian captain did not even take throwdowns. Rohit, instead, spent a lot of time discussing strategy with head coach Gautam Gambhir. The only shining light was the little sprint that Rohit took. It indicated that the injury is perhaps not as serious as putting a dent in India’s Champions Trophy, but it may just be enough to prompt them to rest Rohit from the New Zealand match.

The match against New Zealand holds little value in the tournament context, as both teams have already confirmed their semi-final spots. The only incentive is to finish as Group A winners. Another major reason why India is considering the possibility of resting captain Rohit Sharma from Sunday’s match is the one-day gap between it and India’s semi-final on Tuesday (March 4).

Irrespective of India’s standing, they are slated to play the first semi-final in Dubai on March 4, as the other one is in Pakistan, and India won’t travel there. The 2013 Champions Trophy winners still don’t know who their opponents will be in that knockout game, as three teams – Australia, Afghanistan and South Africa – in Group B have an equal chance of making it. A lot will depend on the Australia vs Afghanistan match on Friday.

Who will replace Rohit Sharma?
If Rohit Sharma is indeed unavailable or the Indian team management decides to rest him as a precautionary measure, keeping the semi-final in mind, then the right-hander is likely to be replaced either by Rishabh Pant or Washington Sundar. The left-handers reportedly spent long hours in the nets, which they hadn’t done it before any of the matches in Dubai in this tournament. It must be remembered that India do not have a backup opener in their squad. In a last-minute change to their squad, they dropped Yashasvi Jaiswal to bring in spinner Varun Chakaravarthy. They do have KL Rahul in the ranks, who has spent most of his life at the top of the order but sending him on Sunday as Gill’s partner would mean disrupting the entire batting order as he has settled in nicely in the middle order for the past two-three years.

Besides, Pant also has experience of opening the batting in shorter formats and just like Rohit, he can be the aggressor in the powerplay.

Shubman Gill’s captaincy record
Gill, whose captaincy came into prominence after he was given leadership duties by IPL franchise Gujarat Titans ahead of last year’s edition, captained a young Indian side for five T20Is in Zimbabwe. India won the series 4-1. Most first-choice players were given a breather from that tour as it came immediately after India’s T20 World Cup win in the Caribbean. However, Gill’s rise as the next ODI captain became certain when he was elevated as India’s vice-captain for the England home series and then the Champions Trophy. Rohit Sharma even went on to add that Gill’s superlative form in 50-overs cricket, which saw him attain the No.1 ranking, was one of the biggest reasons behind his elevation in the leadership group.

Gill, who has been in fantastic form in this tournament with a century against Bangladesh and a 46 against Pakistan, attended a private nets session on Thursday to hone his skills. Hindustan Times

Ibrahim Zadran’s majestic 177 and pacer Azmatullah Omarzai’s fifer trumped Joe Root’s masterful hundred, as the brave Afghanistan registered a thrilling 8-run win to knock a largely-insipid England out of the Champions Trophy on Wednesday. England are winless after two matches and in their last league match in Group B they will face South Africa, who already have three points along with Australia. Afghanistan now have two points and will have to beat the Aussies in their final group match to entertain the hopes of reaching the last eight. For a long time, England’s chase merely rattled along as the dismissal of Phil Salt and Jamie Smith jolted them early. They were 30 for two then, and eventually ended up at 317 all out with a ball to spare as pacer Omarzai (5/58) struck at crucial junctures.

But Root (120, 111b, 11×4, 1×6) brought stability to England’s innings through two alliances, adding 68 runs with Ben Duckett (38), who was dropped on 29, for the third wicket and then an 83-run stand with skipper Jos Buttler for the fifth wicket.

They were not really blazing partnerships but kept England afloat, keeping them in the vicinity of the asking rate.

But the jettisoning of Duckett and Buttler prematurely curtailed those blossoming joint ventures, as Root had to shoulder the burden all by himself.

Root’s was a clever innings, as he hardly hit any ball in anger but still managed a strike-rate close to 100, and at times above 100.

But there those little flourishes which are so central to a Root innings such as a reverse sweep four off wrist spinner Noor Ahmad or a scooped six behind wicketkeeper off Fazalhaq Farooqi.

He brought up his 17th ODI hundred with a single off Rashid Khan, and looked to stay on. But a rather tired ramp off pacer Omarzai ended in the gloves of keeper Rahmanullah Gurbaz.

But England had another willing soldier in Jamie Overton (32, 28b), who added precious 54 runs for the seventh wicket, but a feeble heave off Omarzai ended his stint.

It also marked the end of England’s journey in this tournament.

Earlier, Zadran’s remarkable innings helped Afghanistan pile 325 for seven.

Zadran, whose daddy hundred came off 146 balls (12×4, 6×6), had solid support from skipper Hashmathullah Shahidi (40, 67b, 3×4), with whom he raised 103 runs for the fourth wicket, and Azmatullah Omarzai (41, 31b) with whom he milked 72 runs for the fifth wicket.

Later, he plundered 111 runs for the sixth wicket with Mohammed Nabi (40, 24b) to put England through the wringer.

But Afghanistan’s start to a must-win game was way off the mark after they elected to bat first. Jofra Archer’s (3/64) pace and accuracy put them under considerable strife inside the first 10 overs on an absolute batting beauty.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz dragged an Archer delivery back onto his stumps while attempting a drive, Sediquallah Atal was trapped in front and Rahmat Shah pulled one straight to Adil Rashid at square leg as the Afghans slumped to 37 for three inside the Power Play.

Zadran began the repair work in the company of Shahidi and they were understandably circumspect.

But once he reached 50 off 65 balls, Zadran opened up more and smoked Jamie Overton for a couple of fours to signal the shifting of gears.

However, Shahidi was dismissed when he tried to reverse sweep leg-spinner Rashid, whose front-of-the-arm delivery crashed onto the stumps.

But Zadran flourished in the company of Omarzai as England felt the heat of double-barrel firing.

England also had to deal with a knee injury to pacer Mark Wood, as he bowled only eight overs even after spending some time away from the field during the Afghan innings.

Zadran, who brought up his sixth ODI hundred off 106 balls, soon slipped into overdrive, smashing Overton for 6, 4, 4, in an over.

The departure of Omarzai did not slow down the 23-year-old as he blasted Archer for 6, 4, 4, 4 to reach the 150-run mark for the second time in his career.

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Along with a veteran batter Nabi, Zadran added quick runs for the sixth wicket at over 11 runs an over as England fell apart spectacularly in the final 10 overs, conceding 113 runs. Zadran eventually fell to Liam Livingstone in the final over. Sports NDTV

International sports broadcaster ESPN will end its long-standing rights partnership with North American baseball’s MLB after the upcoming 2025 season, triggering a race for the league to secure a new partner before the start of the 2026 campaign.

The pair’s contract, due to run through 2028, included an opt-out clause allowing either side to end the deal after the 2025 season. ESPN triggered that yesterday, ending a 35-year relationship with the league.

In a statement, ESPN said: “We are grateful for our longstanding relationship with MLB and proud of how ESPN’s coverage super-serves fans.

“In making this decision, we applied the same discipline and fiscal responsibility that has built ESPN’s industry-leading live events portfolio as we continue to grow our audience across linear, digital, and social platforms.

“As we have been throughout the process, we remain open to exploring new ways to serve MLB fans across our platforms beyond 2025.”

The network aired its first MLB game in 1990, but the pair’s relationship has become strained in recent years.

MLB has been frustrated at ESPN paring back its baseball coverage while demanding a reduction to its rights fees, while ESPN has cited deals the league has recently struck with streaming rivals Apple and Roku, which pay significantly less for exclusive games, for seeking a lower fee.

ESPN pays around $550m per year for its rights to air 30 games nationally, 25 of which were “Sunday Night Baseball,” the opening night game each season, and the Home Run Derby.

Apple, meanwhile, pays $85 million per season for a Friday night package it has aired since 2022, while Roku’s deal for Sunday afternoon games is worth $10 million per year.

In a note to team owners yesterday, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred suggested the league is happy to step away and test the market’s appetite for its rights.

He said: “Over the past several months, ESPN has approached us with a desire to reduce the amount they pay for MLB content over the remainder of the term. Publicly and privately, ESPN has pointed to lower rights fees paid by Apple and Roku in their deals with MLB.

“Given the strength of our product, we do not believe a reduction in fees is warranted.”

Manfred also dismissed ESPN’s offer to host games on its soon-to-be-launched streaming platform, adding: “We do not think it’s beneficial for us to accept a smaller deal to remain on a shrinking platform.

“In order to best position MLB to optimize our rights going into our next deal cycle, we believe it is not prudent to devalue our rights with an existing partner but rather to have our marquee regular season games, Home Run Derby and Wild Card playoff round on a new broadcast and/or streaming platform.”

MLB drew its largest live attendance figures in seven years, drawing more than 71.3 million fans into ballparks in 2024. Television viewership of games, including on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball, also increased.

The league will now start the process of finding a new broadcast partner. Manfred said the league is in talks with “several interested parties” for the rights starting with the 2026 season.

Beyond ESPN, MLB also has national broadcast deals with Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery-owned TBS that run through 2028. Fox pays $714.3 million per year, while TBS pays $470 million per year.

The MLB’s deals with ESPN, Fox, and TSB alone will see a combined revenue of $1.76 billion in the 2025 season.

The move, meanwhile, comes at a pivotal moment for Disney-owned ESPN, which is preparing to launch a new streaming service this year to host all of its live programming, including MLB games.

Commenting on the news, Conrad Wiacek, head of analysis at GlobalData Sport, has said: “For ESPN, it would seem their focus is on [basketball’s] NBA and [American football’s] NFL moving forward.

“With baseball not as popular as it once was, ESPN has pushed back on the fees they were paying citing the equivalent deals with Apple and Roku and looking for a reduction. This seems to be part of a larger company-wide issue at parent group Disney, which is not seeing the growth in streaming it expected, leading to a re-evaluation of some of its assets.

“[The league] will struggle to find an equivalent value elsewhere. However, the fact this decision has been described as ‘mutual’ suggests that MLB has something lined up, perhaps growing its deal with Apple for US rights and going all in on a global deal with Apple akin to WWE’s deal with Netflix.” Sportcal

England and Afghanistan have found themselves in a rabbit hole ahead of their Group B clash in the Champions Trophy on Wednesday, February 26. On Tuesday, Rawalpindi witnessed its first washout of the tournament, with not a single ball bowled in the match between Steve Smith’s Australia and Temba Bavuma’s South Africa.

With the Aussies and Proteas now at three points each, they remain favourites to advance to the semi-finals from Group B. Following Wednesday’s abandoned clash, England and Afghanistan find themselves in deep trouble, as the loser will crash out of the tournament. However, if rain prevents play, both teams will still have a slim chance of qualifying for the semi-finals.

Lahore’s weather on Wednesday isn’t overly bad, but there is a slight chance of rain, with persistent cloud cover keeping the groundstaff on their toes. There’s even a scenario where all four teams could end up with three points each at the end of the group stage.

Can Afghanistan Repeat Their 2023 Heroics?
Hashmatullah Shahidi’s Afghanistan entered the Champions Trophy as dark horses. After defeating the Proteas last year in a bilateral series in Sharjah, they were expected to perform strongly at Karachi’s National Stadium. However, a 107-run loss left them at the bottom of the table with a net run rate of -2.140.

Despite this setback, Afghanistan still has a decent chance to turn things around. Shahidi’s men can draw inspiration from their stunning 69-run victory over England in the 2023 World Cup at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. Back then, Rahmanullah Gurbaz smashed 80 runs, while Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Rashid Khan picked up three wickets each.

During the ODI World Cup, Afghanistan defeated England after recovering from back-to-back losses to Bangladesh and India. Skipper Shahidi believes his team can repeat that feat against the Three Lions but acknowledges that England won’t be an easy opponent.

“I think we all know that England is one of the best teams, so it’s a tough challenge for us. But we are ready for any challenge, and we worked hard to reach this level. We will take confidence from 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,” Shahidi said in the pre-match press conference.

England Under Pressure
England, meanwhile, have struggled in recent matches. After a 0-3 series loss to India on Indian soil, Jos Buttler’s men suffered a five-wicket defeat to Australia at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. Ben Duckett registered the highest individual score in Champions Trophy history with a stunning 165, guiding England to 315 for eight.

However, Josh Inglis’ unbeaten 120 off 86 balls—featuring eight fours and six sixes—powered Australia to the highest successful run chase in ICC ODI tournament history. England’s pace trio of Mark Wood, Jofra Archer, and Brydon Carse conceded runs at an alarming rate. To make matters worse, Carse has been ruled out due to a recurring left toe issue, with Rehan Ahmed replacing him in the squad.

Having lost four consecutive matches, England are in poor form, giving Afghanistan a real opportunity to capitalise. Shahidi’s men have never reached the semi-finals of an ICC ODI event, but this is their chance to make history. India Today

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has taken serious note of a security breach that occurred during the ICC Champions Trophy match between New Zealand and Bangladesh in Rawalpindi, where a spectator entered the field of play and attempted to hug Kiwi batter Rachin Ravindra. The pitch invader was swiftly removed by security officials and was later arrested. The PCB has since announced that the individual has been permanently banned from all cricket venues in Pakistan. “The PCB has taken serious note of the security breach that occurred yesterday when a spectator entered the field of play. Ensuring the safety of players and officials remains our top priority. As a responsible organisation, we have engaged with local security agencies, who have committed to increasing security personnel around the field of play at all venues and strengthening access control measures,” the PCB said in a statement.

“The individual involved was arrested and presented before a court of law today (Tuesday). In addition, he has been permanently banned from entering all cricket venues in Pakistan. To prevent such incidents in the future, the PCB is working closely with security agencies and venue authorities to review and reinforce security protocols,” the statement added.

Pitch invasions, though not uncommon in cricket, have raised concerns, especially with Pakistan hosting its first ICC tournament since the 1996 ODI World Cup. The PCB has vowed to work closely with security agencies to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Despite the interruption, New Zealand continued their dominant performance, with Rachin Ravindra scoring a brilliant 112 to steer his side into the semi-finals. The victory also ended Pakistan’s hopes of advancing, marking a disappointing campaign for the 2017 Champions Trophy winners, who suffered consecutive losses to New Zealand and India. NDTV Sports