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Afghanistan Beats England in Exciting Champions Trophy Game
Afghanistan Beats England in Exciting Champions Trophy Game
England was knocked out of the Champions Trophy by Afghanistan. Joe Root's first ODI hundred since 2019 was not enough for England to stay in the playoff.
England has been knocked out from the 2025 Champions Trophy, struggling once again in a major tournament. Afghanistan played really well and won by eight runs in an exciting match at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. A few days in the same field they were unable to chase the target of 351 runs meanwhile, this time they again fumbled even after the century made by Joe Root.
Afghanistan achieved their second victory over England in consecutive ICC ODI matches thanks to an incredible 177 runs off 146 balls by Ibrahim Zadran. His impressive performance helped the team recover from a shaky beginning, where they found themselves at just 37 runs for 3 wickets. Zadran made the record by scoring 177 runs as in Champions trophy history no one has gained that much not only that in Afghanistan batting format he became the highest individual who scored this much.
Azmatullah Omarzai played a crucial role in Lahore, scoring 41 runs in 31 balls and taking 5 wickets for 58 runs. He helped turn the game around for his team, especially in the 100th over when he got Adil Rashid out with a slower ball. Omarzai had earlier made a big impact when he bowled Phil Salt, who had started strong with two boundaries. England was 30 for 2 after Mohammad Nabi took a wicket with his first ball, dismissing Jamie Smith.
Joe Root began his innings well under pressure, scoring three boundaries in his first 10 balls. England scored 60 runs during the PowerPlay. Root's footwork against spin was excellent, using reverse sweeps to great effect. Ben Duckett, who had previously scored a big century, also performed well but was dropped by Hashmatullah Shahidi on 30. Duckett only managed to score eight more runs before Rashid Khan trapped him LBW. The decision was overturned on review.
Harry Brook also started strong, hitting three boundaries in his first 11 balls. However, he was eventually caught and bowled by Nabi, who took his second wicket.
At 133 for 4 in the 22nd over, England was in trouble with Buttler struggling to score against the spinners. He survived an LBW review against Nabi and had no luck with his reverse sweeps against Noor Ahmad. Root batted well at one end, but Buttler's struggles increased the pressure. He was 12 off 24 balls before he hit a six off Nabi and followed it with another big shot.
England's two senior batters added 83 runs before Omarzai returned and got Buttler out for 38. Gulbadin Naib then dismissed Livingstone cheaply. England needed 90 runs in the last 10 overs. Jamie Overton played cautiously against the spinners, saving the attack for Afghanistan's medium pacers.
Omarzai shone again, getting Root out for 120 with a slower-ball bouncer. Overton and Jofra Archer got England closer to victory, but Overton made a mistake and was caught, leaving England needing 17 runs off 14 balls with an injured Mark Wood as the last batter.
Earlier, Afghanistan was struggling at 37 for 3 after choosing to bat first. Jofra Archer bowled six of the first 11 overs, taking three wickets. Captain Hashmatullah Shahidi and Zadran began rebuilding, with Zadran reaching his half-century off 65 balls. They crossed 100 in the 25th over. Zadran then attacked Jamie Overton, hitting a six and scoring 16 runs in one over. Shahidi was out for 40, attempting a reverse shot off Adil Rashid.
Zadran hit 12 fours and six sixes, slowing down only near his century. Omarzai kept the scoring rate high, adding 41 runs off 31 balls. Zadran reached his century in 106 balls and his next 50 runs in just 28 balls, with him and Mohammad Nabi attacking England's bowlers. Zadran hit a six and three boundaries off Archer, while Nabi hit Joe Root for two sixes. England made fielding errors and missed chances, with even Liam Livingstone getting injured. Livingstone bowled a great final over, giving away just two runs and taking two wickets, but Afghanistan scored 113 runs in the last 10 overs, enough to win the match.
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