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Australia are through to the Champions Trophy 2025 following a washed-out match against Afghanistan at the Gaddafi stadium in Lahore on February 27, Friday. However, their semifinal celebration was marred by a massive injury scare as Matthew Short is likely to be ruled out of the Australia's semifinal clash.
Matthew Short likely to be ruled out of Australia's Champions Trophy semifinal
Matthew Short sustained a quad injury during their match against Afghanistan in Lahore on Friday, raising concerns about his availability for the upcoming semi-final. The first semifinal clash will be played on March 4 while the other will be staged on March 5.
In the post-match presentation, Australia captain Steve Smith also confirmed the severity of Short's injury as he said that the star batter might take some time to recover.
“He was struggling a bit, and a few days might be too short to recover,” Australia skipper Steve Smith said.
Matthew Short's impactful innings against Afghanistan, where he scored a rapid 20 off 15 balls, was cut short by a quad injury, potentially sidelining him for the crucial semi-final. Short's contribution to the Champions Trophy can't go unnoticed as he has amassed 83 runs in two innings at a strike rate exceeding 102.
While no specific replacement was named, Jake Fraser-McGurk emerges as a likely candidate to fill Short's role, offering a similar style of play. Australia was in a strong position during their chase of 274, reaching 109 for one in 13 overs, before rain intervened. After a prolonged delay, the match was abandoned due to the wet outfield.
Australia's current position at the top of Group B means they must await the outcome of Sunday's match between India and New Zealand to determine their semi-final venue. Depending on the result, they will either travel to Dubai for the first semi-final on March 4th or remain in Lahore for the second semi-final on March 5.
