Australian captain Steven Smith has hinted that opener Matthew Short might not recover in time for the Champions Trophy semifinal. Short picked up a quad injury during Australia's rain-affected match against Afghanistan, putting his availability in serious doubt. Short opened the innings alongside Travis Head but was visibly struggling while running between the wickets. He managed to score a quick 20 off 15 balls before getting out, but his movements were restricted. Speaking after the match, Smith said the injury might rule him out of the crucial knockout game. Smith admitted, “I think he’ll be struggling. We saw tonight he wasn’t moving very well. It’s probably going to be too quick between games for him to recover.” With Short’s fitness uncertain, Australia is looking at alternative options. Jake Fraser-McGurk, who was brought in as a replacement for Mitchell Marsh, could be slotted in at the top of the order. All-rounder Aaron Hardie is another possibility if Australia decides to tweak the batting lineup instead of a direct swap. Read also: Watch: Jasprit Bumrah back in nets in full fledge after injury snub Replacement Options and Team Plans If Short is officially ruled out of the tournament, Cooper Connolly might be called up as a reserve player. Losing Short would also mean Australia loses a handy spin-bowling option. He had been economical against Afghanistan, bowling seven overs for just 21 runs. However, the team still has part-time spin choices like Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne. Australia has already dealt with injury setbacks leading into the tournament. Mitchell Marsh, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Mitchell Starc all faced fitness concerns. Additionally, Marcus Stoinis announced his retirement. Australia’s semifinal opponent is yet to be decided, but it will be either India or New Zealand. If South Africa defeats England, Australia will face the winner of India vs. New Zealand. Otherwise, they will play the losing team. If the semifinal is held in Dubai, Australia will have limited preparation time, with conditions favoring spinners. A match in Lahore, however, would suit Australia’s strengths, as they have already played there. The final venue will depend on India’s progress, with Dubai hosting if India qualifies and Lahore hosting otherwise.