Former cricketer Mohammad Kaif slammed the concerned authorities at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium for not covering the entire ground as rain played spoilsport in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 match between Australia and South Africa on Tuesday (February 25).
Incessant drizzle led to the Group B fixture being abandoned without a single ball being bowled. As a result, the two teams shared a point each.
Kaif posted a picture of the stadium on social media, saying it is a shame that the entire ground has not been covered and how this carelessness might cost Australia and South Africa a place in the semi-final.
The ex-India batter also raised a question, asking whether the money granted by the ICC was used wisely by the Pakistan Cricket Board.
"It's a shame that the Rawalpindi ground isn't fully covered. Such an important match - SA vs Aus - might go down the drain because no one addressed this issue. Was the ICC money utilised wisely by hosts?" Kaif wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
It is worth mentioning here that the upgradation of stadiums in Lahore, Karachi, and Rawalpindi was completed just days before the Champions Trophy, albeit the extension of deadline on several occasions.
This is the first time in 29 years that Pakistan are hosting an ICC tournament. However, India are playing their matches in Dubai under the event’s hybrid model.
Pakistan have already been knocked out of the competition after losing to New Zealand and India. The Men in Green would have remained in final-four reckoning had Bangladesh defeated the Kiwis, but this was not to be.
Taking about Group B, a washout between South Africa and Australia gave both teams one point each, taking their overall tally to three points from two games. However, the Proteas are leading the point table due to superior net run rate.
England and Afghanistan are the other two teams in Group B, and they will face each other on Wednesday (February 26) in Lahore. Australia will play Afghanistan in Lahore on February 28, while South Africa and England will square off in the last game in Karachi on March 1.
India and New Zealand have already qualified for the semi-finals from Group A. The semis will be played on March 4 and 5. India will play their semi-final in Dubai on March 4, while New Zealand will play their semi-final in Lahore on March 5.
