LAHORE: Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi won the toss and opted to bat in the crucial Champions Trophy Group B match against Australia in Lahore on Friday.
Tournament debutants Afghanistan will reach the semifinals with victory and kept the same team that beat England by a thrilling eight runs.
They lost their first match of the 50-over competition against South Africa by 107 runs.
Steve Smith-led Australia will themselves reach the semifinals with a win.
They kept the same team that beat England by five wickets in their first match.
Their second match, against South Africa, was washed out.
South Africa face already eliminated England in Group B on Saturday.
India and New Zealand have sealed their spots in the last four from Group A.
TEAMS
Australia: Steve Smith (captain), Matthew Short, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Josh Inglis, Glenn Maxwell, Alex Carey, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Spencer Johnson, Adam Zampa
Afghanistan: Hashmatullah Shahidi (captain), Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Gulbadin Naib, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi
Afghanistan win toss, bat against Australia in Champions Trophy match in Lahore
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Afghanistan win toss, bat against Australia in Champions Trophy match in Lahore
- Tournament debutants Afghanistan will reach the semis if won
- They kept the same team that defeated England by eight runs
FIFA and Board of Peace to support Gaza reconstruction through football
- The Board of Peace, established under the US President Donald Trump, held its first meeting focused on Gaza’s reconstruction fund, aimed at rebuilding the territory once Hamas disarms
FIFA and the Board of Peace signed a partnership agreement on Thursday to attract investment from global leaders and institutions for sustainable development in conflict-affected regions through football.
The Board of Peace, established under the US President Donald Trump, held its first meeting focused on Gaza’s reconstruction fund, aimed at rebuilding the territory once Hamas disarms.
The disarmament of Hamas militants and accompanying withdrawal of Israeli troops, the size of the reconstruction fund and the flow of humanitarian aid to the war-torn population are expected to pose significant challenges to the board’s effectiveness in the coming months.
The FIFA collaboration plan includes building 50 mini-pitches near schools and residential areas in Gaza, five full-size pitches across multiple districts, a state-of-the-art FIFA academy and a new 20,000-seat national stadium, FIFA said.
Trump said FIFA will raise $75 million for football-related projects in Gaza.
“Today, FIFA and the Board of Peace have signed a landmark partnership agreement that will foster investment into football for the purpose of helping the recovery process in post conflict areas,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino said in a statement.
“Together with the support of the Board of Peace, FIFA will drive this partnership which is built to deliver impact at every stage.”
The program will also emphasize job creation, youth participation, organized leagues for boys and girls, community engagement and the stimulation of local commercial activities, FIFA said.
