On February 28, 2025, cricket fans are gearing up for two exciting clashes: Afghanistan versus Australia in the ICC Champions Trophy and Sri Lanka against Australia in the Worldwide Legends T20 tournament, both promising thrilling sports action.
Beginning with the ICC Champions Trophy match held at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, Afghanistan will take on Australia. Afghanistan enters this match positioned third on the Group B points table with one win and one loss. Notably, Ibrahim Zadran has been the standout performer for Afghanistan with 194 runs to his name, solidifying his status as the team's beacon of hope.
After narrowly defeating England by just 8 runs, Afghanistan showcased their resilience. It was Zadran's remarkable 177 runs off 146 balls, supported by Hashmatullah Shahidi's partnership of 103 runs with Zadran, which lifted Afghanistan to 325 runs. Despite losing early wickets, Azmatullah Omarzai's impactful bowling later clinched the victory for his team.
On the Australian side, the team currently holds the second position on the Group B table, celebrating one win and one no-result following the cancellation of their match against South Africa due to rain. Australia's key batting asset, Josh Inglis, has accumulated 120 runs, making him the top scorer for the team.
Australia recently emerged victorious against England by 5 wickets. The match saw them chase down 351 runs, largely thanks to Inglis's explosive batting performance of 120 runs, aided by Alex Carey’s 69. Though the team's top batsmen, Steven Smith and Travis Head, fell early, the mid-innings partnership reinvigorated their chances, proving their mettle yet again.
Looking at the predicted lineups, for Afghanistan expect: Hashmatullah Shahidi (C), Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Gulbadin Naib, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, and Fazalhaq Farooqi. Meanwhile, Australia will field: Steve Smith (C), Travis Head, Josh Inglis (wk), Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, and Adam Zampa.
Betting insights suggest several player predictions: the expected toss winner is Australia, favored to win the match outright. The top batsman for Australia is predicted to be Travis Head, and for Afghanistan, it is likely to be Rahmat Shah. Both teams will rely heavily on their premier bowlers; Nathan Ellis for Australia and Rashid Khan for Afghanistan are expected to be pivotal.
Switching gears to the Worldwide Legends T20 2025 match at Kotambi Stadium, Vadodara, Sri Lanka will face off against Australia. Sri Lanka, now sitting second on the points table, holds one win and one loss, showcasing potential through key player performances.
Sri Lanka's last encounter saw them triumph over South Africa by 7 wickets, with top scorer, as usual, being the talented all-rounder, Shane Watson, who managed 107 runs with fireworks of 9 sixes and 9 fours to anchor his side against the West Indies.
For this match, Australia aims to bounce back from their earlier loss to West Indies. Current predictions lean heavily toward Australia. They need to conjure up their earlier form and lean on Shane Watson’s experience and skill to carry the innings alongside other stars like Callum Ferguson and Nathan Reardon.
The squads lined up for this T20 encounter include: For Sri Lanka, Kumar Sangakkara (C), Upul Tharanga, and Ashan Priyanjan lead the scoring charge, with Suranga Lakmal being their main wicket-taker with 3 scalps to his credit over the tournament. Meanwhile, Australia fields Shane Watson, James Pattinson, and Daniel Christian, who aim to recover from their previous loss and find solid footing.
Pre-match predictions suggest Australia will win the toss again, and the marked players expected to shine include Ben Dunk for Australia and Kumar Sangakkara for Sri Lanka. The victor is likely to be Australia, especially if they keep their focus and capitalize on the early getting of runs. The projected team scores: Australia to score over 190 and Sri Lanka over 185. The predicted player of the match could very well be Ben Dunk, with significant runs on the board.
Stay tuned for live updates and full coverage of both matches. The cricketing excitement on February 28 is truly unmissable!