With two matches already washed out in the 2025 Champions Trophy, there is a significant rain threat looming over the crucial Group B clash between Australia and Afghanistan at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, scheduled for Friday (February 27).
While two out of the three matches in Rawalpindi (Australia vs. South Africa) have been abandoned, the weather in Lahore is also concerning. Local reports on the eve of the match indicate rain in the city, raising doubts about the highly anticipated encounter.
Weather.com predicts a 70% chance of rain in Lahore on Friday. However, the forecast improves during the scheduled match time. At the planned start of play (2:00 PM local, 2:30 PM IST), there’s a 44% chance of rain, which drops to 39% and 33% in the following hours. After 5:00 PM local (5:30 PM IST), the chance of rain decreases to between 9-24%.
While the forecast suggests rain could disrupt the match, potentially delaying the start or causing stoppages, it’s unlikely that the match will be completely washed out. There’s a good chance the weather will clear enough to allow a result, even if the match is shortened.
It’s important to note that at least 20 overs need to be played for a result to stand, and there is no reserve day for league-stage matches.
If the match is abandoned, Australia will advance to the semi-finals with four points. Afghanistan, despite having three points, is unlikely to qualify as they would be level on points with South Africa, who still have a match against England left. South Africa’s superior Net Run Rate (+2.140) compared to Afghanistan’s (-0.990) makes it difficult for the latter to progress.