The highly anticipated Champions Trophy clash between Australia and South Africa has been called off without even the toss taking place due to incessant rain in Rawalpindi on Monday.
ICC took to X to confirm the match had been abandoned due to continuous rain in Rawalpindi and wrote, “Incessant rain forces the Group B #ChampionsTrophy contest between Australia and South Africa to be called off.”
It had been raining since the morning, which hardly gave the ground staff any chance to prepare the venue for the match. A relentless downpour washed away the game, and both teams shared a point each.
South Africa and Australia are now on three points each, occupying Group B’s first and second spots, respectively. The washout has turned Wednesday’s clash between Afghanistan and England into a virtual knockout. The team that suffers a defeat will become the third team to be knocked out of the tournament.
Bangladesh and Pakistan, the defending champions in Group A, were eliminated from the tournament on Monday. New Zealand orchestrated a comfortable five-wicket win to qualify for the semi-finals along with India.
Australia will now bolster its preparations to face Afghanistan on Friday at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. South Africa will play its final group-stage game against England on Saturday at the National Bank Stadium, Karachi.
The Baggy Greens began their campaign by pulling off a record 352-run chase against England. On the other hand, South Africa sailed to a 107-run victory against Afghanistan in a one-sided affair.
Squads:
Australia Squad: Matthew Short, 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, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Tanveer Sangha
South Africa Squad: Ryan Rickelton(w), Tony de Zorzi, Temba Bavuma(c), Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Wiaan Mulder, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Tabraiz Shamsi, Heinrich Klaasen, Tristan Stubbs, Corbin Bosch. (ANI)
