Prior to the possible ICC Champions Trophy semifinal against India, Australia faced a significant setback as a key player was sidelined due to injury. This update was announced by captain Steve Smith following the cancellation of Australia’s final league match against Afghanistan due to rain.
New Delhi: Australia faced a significant setback before the ICC Champions Trophy semifinal with the news that Matthew Short will not participate in the match. Short experienced a hamstring injury during Australia’s recent league match against Afghanistan. Although he attempted to open the innings for Australia in a brief chase, he appeared to be in discomfort and had difficulty running between the wickets. His movement was hindered, making it challenging for him to execute his shots. He managed to score 20 runs off 15 balls during his brief time at the crease.
Australia has the option to replace the explosive opener with either Jake Fraser McGurk or all-rounder Aaron Hardie. Short performed well against England, contributing a rapid 63 runs, which helped Australia secure an exciting victory while pursuing a target of 352.
“I think he’ll be struggling. I think we saw tonight he wasn’t moving very well. I think it’s probably going to be too quick between games for him to recover,” Australia captain Steve Smith told Prime Video.
Australia advanced to the semifinals after their final league match was canceled due to rain. They had bowled out Afghanistan for 273 runs and reached 109-1 in just 12.5 overs, with Travis Head scoring 59 runs off 40 balls before the rain interrupted the game. Their earlier match against South Africa also ended in a washout. With two matches called off and one victory, Australia secured their spot in the semifinals with a total of four points.
Australia’s opponent in the semifinal
Australia’s semifinal rival will be determined following the India versus New Zealand game on March 2. Should South Africa win against England, they will secure the top position in the group, leading Australia to compete against the winner of the India vs New Zealand match. Conversely, if South Africa loses, Australia will claim the top spot in Group B and will go up against the loser of the India vs New Zealand game.
