Key Points
South Africa maintains top position in Group B with three points and +2.140 NRR
Australia holds second place with +0.475 NRR after abandoned match
Both teams started tournament with wins against Afghanistan and England
Semi-final hopes remain alive with one group match remaining for each team
The conditions in Rawalpindi didn't improve even after more than three hours of the scheduled start, leading officials to take the ultimate decision to abandon the encounter. The first-ever meeting between the two sides in the tournament saw an unwanted end as both teams shared a point each due to no result. With this, South Africa stays atop Group B with three points and a net run rate (NRR) of +2.140, while Australia holds second place with an NRR of +0.475.
Both South Africa and Australia started their campaigns on a winning note against Afghanistan and England, respectively. A win in this clash would have bolstered their semi-finals hopes in Group B. The last time these two teams met in an ODI at an ICC event, they played out an absolute nail-biter where the Australians overcame South Africa by a close margin in the semi-final of the 2023 World Cup.
England and Afghanistan are the other two teams in the group, set to face off on Wednesday in Lahore. Australia will next take on Afghanistan in the final Group B match on February 28, while South Africa will play England in their last game on March 1.
India and New Zealand have already secured their spots in the semi-finals from Group A. The semi-finals are scheduled for March 4 and 5. India will play their semi-final in Dubai on March 4, and New Zealand will play their semi-final in Lahore on March 5.
