Champions Trophy 2025: Australia Hit by Injury Blow as Matthew Short Doubtful for Semi-Final

Australia faces a setback ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 semi-finals, with opener Matthew Short sustaining a calf injury, raising concerns over his availability.

Australia’s Semi-Final Preparations Disrupted by Injury

LAHORE: Australia has suffered a major injury setback ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 semi-finals, as opener Matthew Short sustained a calf injury while fielding in their recent match against Afghanistan on Friday.

Short, who managed to score a quickfire 20 runs before rain forced the match to be abandoned, appeared visibly uncomfortable while running between the wickets. Despite the no-result, Australia secured their place in the semi-finals, with their opponent yet to be determined based on the final two group-stage matches.

Who Will Australia Face in the Semi-Finals?

Australia is set to play against either India or New Zealand in the semi-finals. If they are drawn against India, they will travel to Dubai for the much-anticipated knockout match. However, with Short’s injury casting doubt over his availability, the team may be forced to reshuffle their batting lineup.

Steve Smith Confirms Short is Unlikely to Play

Australian captain Steve Smith provided an update on Short’s injury, suggesting that his recovery time may be too short for him to feature in the semi-final clash.

“I think he’ll be struggling. We saw tonight he wasn’t moving very well, and with such a short turnaround, it’s probably going to be too soon for him to recover,” Smith said, as quoted by the ICC.

Possible Replacements for Short in the Playing XI

If Short is ruled out, Australia has a few options to restructure their batting order:

• Jake Fraser-McGurk is the most likely candidate to replace Short at the top of the order.
• Steve Smith himself could step up as an opener to partner Travis Head, allowing the team to add an extra bowling option.
• All-rounders Sean Abbott and Aaron Hardie are also available in the squad and could provide additional balance to the team.
• Spinner Tanveer Sangha is another option, especially if the team decides to strengthen their spin attack for the semi-final.

“We’ve got a few guys ready to step in and do a job for the team, and we are looking forward to that,” Smith added.

Australia’s Squad for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Semi-Finals

Steve Smith (c), Sean Abbott, Alex Carey, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Aaron Hardie, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Tanveer Sangha, Matthew Short, Adam Zampa.

Final Thoughts

With Australia already securing their place in the semi-finals, the focus now shifts to how they will adapt to Short’s injury and finalize their playing XI. Their upcoming clash, whether against India or New Zealand, promises to be an intense battle as they aim for a spot in the Champions Trophy 2025 final.

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