Matt Brief appears to be like set to overlook Australia’s Champions Trophy semi-final towards both India or New Zealand after his harm proved the one draw back to their rain-helped rush into the last-four in Pakistan.
After the in-form opener suffered a quad harm within the discipline and hobbled his option to a brisk 20 off 15 balls within the washout towards Afghanistan in Lahore on Friday, captain Steve Smith mentioned he did not assume the Adelaide Strikers star can be match to play in subsequent week’s semis.
Smith informed Prime after Friday’s match, which Australia had dominated earlier than the downpour: “I feel he’ll be struggling.
“I feel we noticed tonight he wasn’t shifting very nicely. I feel it is most likely going to be too fast between video games for him to recuperate.”
Australia will play their semi both towards India in Dubai on Tuesday or towards New Zealand on Wednesday in Lahore, however they will not know their opponents till Sunday night time.
Smith’s aspect presently lead group B by some extent from South Africa, who can knock them right down to second with victory over England in Saturday’s closing group match in Karachi.
There’s even an outlandish risk Afghanistan might nonetheless end second behind Australia and qualify, however provided that England hand the Proteas a thrashing that, statistically, appears to be like wholly unlikely.
However no match-ups may be determined anyway till after Sunday’s group A shootout between favourites India and New Zealand in Dubai, with the victors of that one set to prime the group and play the second-placed aspect within the different pool.
Both approach, Brief’s absence would necessitate a change on the prime of the order, with Smith suggesting: “We have got a number of guys there to come back in to fill a job.”
Large-hitting Jake Fraser-McGurk is within the squad and will are available in as a like-for-like alternative if it is felt he isn’t an excessive amount of of a danger after his two failures within the latest ODI collection in Sri Lanka.
The 29-year-old Brief had impressed within the opening match towards England, setting the tone of their record-breaking chase with 63 off 66 balls, earlier than Josh Inglis and Alex Carey carried Australia to victory.
As his workforce chased down Afghanistan’s 273 on Friday and set out with actual intent to attempt to beat the rain on Friday, he additionally began nicely, profiting from a spilt catch as he smacked a six and three fours.
On the different finish Travis Head, who additionally acquired away with being dropped early, raced to an unbeaten 59 earlier than the rains got here at 1-109 with the Australians in cost.
