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ICC Champions Trophy, Match 7: Australia vs South Africa tie called off due to rain

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By Cricket World Staff

Tuesday 25 February 2025

ICC Champions Trophy

7th Match, Group B, Rawalpindi

Australia

South Africa

The seventh match of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 between Australia and South Africa was called off due to the rain.

Match Analysis

The match was scheduled to take place on Tuesday at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi, but the rain gods had other plans, as even the toss couldn't happen.

With no result, it might cause a problem for both Australia and South Africa going ahead in the tournament as semi-finalists from Group B are yet to be finalised. Both the teams will now share one point each and are currently at the top two spots in the table with three points each, having won their respective first match.

England and Afghanistan will need to secure a win from both their remaining matches - England against Afghanistan and South Africa and Afghanistan against England and Australia - to have a chance to progress to the semis

With one point each from this match, Australia and South Africa are both well placed for the semi-finals, having both won their opening fixtures in the tournament.

South Africa, who beat Afghanistan in their first match by 107 runs, are top of the table with three points and a net run-rate of 2.14. Australia are second on the same number of points and a net run-rate of 0.475.

England face Afghanistan in Lahore on Wednesday in a must-win match for both teams after they lost their opening games.

Australia captain Steve Smith said the rain-out at least left his team knowing that a victory over Afghanistan on Friday would secure their place in the semi-finals.

"I did look at the Apple weather and it showed rain for the next few days but didn't expect it to be a wash-out, you can't do much about it," said Smith.

"The equation is pretty simple now, on to the next one against Afghanistan and if we win we are locked into top four."

South African skipper Temba Bavuma said the abandonment was disappointing for all involved.

"Yeah, it's frustrating, we wanted to have some cricket and so did the fans, also wanting to watch two sides in confidence," said Bavuma, adding that batter Heinrich Klaasen had fully recovered from a sore elbow.

"Klaasen is fit and adds value to our team. We will watch England play Afghanistan (in Lahore on Wednesday) to have an idea against them in our last match (in Karachi on Saturday)."

India and New Zealand qualified for the semi-finals from Group A on Monday as title-holders Pakistan and Bangladesh crashed out of the tournament.