'You can't drop Head and win': Afghan fans fume

'You can’t drop someone like Head and expect to win'

'These fielding errors have cost us a semifinal spot'

Australia booked their place in the Champions Trophy semifinals after rain forced the abandonment of their final Group B match against Afghanistan at the Gaddafi Stadium on Friday.

Afghan fans turned out in large numbers, hoping to witness history—a victory over Australia that would have boosted their team’s semifinal chances. But the weather had other plans. A heavy downpour cut the contest short, ensuring Australia’s progression while leaving Afghanistan’s fate hanging by a thread.

The five-time world champions were cruising at 109-1 in 12.5 overs, chasing 274, when persistent rain halted play. Despite multiple inspections, the outfield remained unfit, forcing the umpires to call off the match.

While Australia celebrated, Afghan fans were left disappointed—not just by the weather, but by their team’s costly lapses in the field. A series of dropped catches, including two crucial ones off Travis Head and Matthew Short, proved to be their undoing.

Rashid Khan’s spill at mid-on when Head was on just six sparked outrage among fans, who took to social media to express their frustration.

"You can’t drop someone like Head and expect to win," one fan lamented, while another wrote, "These fielding errors have cost us a semifinal spot!"

Head, making the most of his reprieve, went on to hammer a 34-ball fifty, taking Australia past the 100-run mark before rain intervened. Short was also given a second chance but was dismissed for 20 before the stoppage.

Despite putting up a respectable 273, powered by Sediqullah Atal’s composed 85 and Azmatullah Omarzai’s explosive 67, Afghanistan’s fielding let them down at crucial moments.

With a net run rate of -0.99, their semifinal hopes now rest on a highly unlikely scenario—England pulling off a massive victory over South Africa to push them into third place.

With India and New Zealand already through from Group A, the semifinal lineup is nearly complete—unless fate delivers Afghanistan one final twist.