Lahore: Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi has set his sights on another massive victory in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, as his team prepares to take on world champions Australia in their final group-stage match on Friday at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium.Coming off a thrilling eight-run victory over England, Afghanistan eliminated the defending champions from the tournament and strengthened their semi-final hopes. A win against Australia would guarantee Afghanistan a historic place in the final four of the eight-nation event.
 

Afghanistan's Confidence Soars After England Upset

Shahidi expressed his team’s growing confidence after their landmark win against England, their second major upset over the English side in consecutive ICC tournaments."Obviously, a win like this boosts every team's confidence and strengthens them," Shahidi said. "Our morale has increased even more." Despite the high stakes, Shahidi emphasized that Afghanistan would focus on playing positive cricket, avoiding excessive pressure about semi-final qualification. "Australia is a tough and good team, but we came here to play good cricket. We will try to play a positive game. Just like we defeated England today, we hope to beat Australia as well," he added.
 

Rain Could Play a Role in Afghanistan’s Semi-Final Chances

Rain is forecast in Lahore on match day, and if the game is washed out, Afghanistan will still remain in contention for a semi-final spot. However, they will then have to depend on net run rate (NRR) and other results to advance.
 

Afghanistan vs Australia: Head-to-Head Record

Afghanistan has never defeated Australia in ODI cricket, losing all four of their previous encounters. However, Afghanistan nearly pulled off an upset in the 2023 World Cup, reducing Australia to 91-7, before an unbelievable 201-run innings from Glenn Maxwell turned the game around.Afghanistan did, however, achieve a breakthrough victory over Australia in last year's T20 World Cup, a result that fuels their belief in an ODI upset.When asked about Maxwell’s potential impact, Shahidi dismissed concerns over past performances:

"I know that he played really well in the 2023 World Cup, but that's part of history."

Ibrahim Zadran’s Record-Breaking Knock

A key factor in Afghanistan’s success against England was Ibrahim Zadran, who smashed 177 runs, the highest individual score in Champions Trophy history.Zadran’s match-winning knock came after Afghanistan suffered an early collapse at 37-3, but his efforts powered them to a commanding 325-7.

Shahidi praised Zadran for his resilience after recovering from ankle surgery:

"Even though he was away from cricket for six months, it's never easy for a player to return from injury and make such a strong comeback in a high-stakes match." Afghanistan will now hope for another standout performance from their star batter as they face Australia in a must-win clash.

What’s Next?

A win against Australia would make Afghanistan the first-ever debutant team to reach the Champions Trophy semi-finals. With confidence high and momentum on their side, they are ready to challenge the world champions on the big stage.Cricket fans eagerly await this thrilling encounter, which could mark another historic moment for Afghanistan cricket.