Catch the highlights of the Afghanistan Vs England, ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Group B clash, right here
Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz(w), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi(c), Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Fareed Ahmad Malik, Ikram Alikhil, Nangeyalia Kharote, Naveed Zadran
England: Philip Salt, Ben Duckett, Jamie Smith(w), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler(c), Liam Livingstone, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood, Jamie Overton, Rehan Ahmed, Saqib Mahmood, Tom Banton, Gus Atkinson
The Afghanistan vs England is not simply a cricket match. The February 26 Champions Trophy fixture in Lahore is accompanied by political baggage, with England playing despite demands for a boycott from more than 160 British politicians.
The protest follows the Taliban's ongoing prohibition on women playing sport, a move contrary to ICC rules. Afghanistan's men's team, though, remains eligible to play, preserving the cricketing relationship.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) made the decision to play following talks with the UK government, ICC, and players, but the political controversy surrounding the backdrop has ensured that this match is anything but simple.
The argument has raged for weeks, putting an added layer of tension on a game that already has enormous stakes in the tournament.
Total Matches Played - 3
Afghanistan Won - 1
England Won - 2
England and Afghanistan have a clear but challenging path to the semi-finals, win both of their remaining games. Still searching for their first points, either team can finish with four points if they secure back-to-back victories, potentially eliminating one of Australia or South Africa.
However, if England and Afghanistan manage just one win each, Australia and South Africa will advance to the knockouts, joining India and New Zealand from Group A.
Afghanistan have won the toss and opted to bat first against England.
England (Playing XI): Philip Salt, Ben Duckett, Jamie Smith(w), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler(c), Liam Livingstone, Jofra Archer, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood
Afghanistan (Playing XI): Rahmanullah Gurbaz(w), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi(c), Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi
The players line up for the national anthems, hand in hand with their little mascots. England go first, followed by Afghanistan. The atmosphere is electric, the vibes are immaculate, and the emotions are running high, this is what big tournament cricket is all about.
Afghanistan openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran are at the crease, with Jofra Archer taking the new ball.
Archer to Gurbaz – a single off the first ball, neatly played towards deep third. Now, Archer to Zadran, back of a length, and Zadran plays it solidly for a dot ball. But he라이브 바카라 off the mark on the next delivery, pushing it to deep fine leg for a single.
AFG 4/0 (1)
Jofra Archer sends down a 143.6kph length ball swinging in on off. Gurbaz covers the line well, calmly blocking it back down the track. Archer, who has been consistently bowling in the mid-130s, ramps up the pace with this delivery.
Dragged on! No Gurbaz fireworks today. Jofra Archer takes his 50th ODI wicket with a superb delivery. He bowls it full, and Gurbaz, looking to drive through the offside, gets a thick inside edge, sending the ball crashing onto his stumps. The delivery clocked at 86mph/139kph.
Archer라이브 바카라 celebration is modest, a quick fist pump—but this wicket is a significant breakthrough early in the game, and a big milestone for him.
Rahmat Shah comes to the crease.
AFG 15/2 (4.5)
Jofra Archer is on a song! He got rid of Rahmat Shah to take his third wicket of the match! That too inside the first powerplay. Archer bowled a bouncer and Shah tried to play a hook shot but got a top-edge and Adil Rashid took a fine catch at fine leg. Hashmatullah Shahidi is the new batter at the crease.
AFG - 39/3 (10)
Hashmatullah Shahidi and Ibrahim Zadran have started their fourth-wicket partnership on a high. The duo have added 28 runs for the fourth wicket so far and have looked in control. England desperately need a wicket.
AFG - 65/3 (17)
Ibrahim Zadran completed his half-century in just 65 deliveries with a single in the 24th over of the inning. Hashmatullah Shahidi has displayed resilience and kept England bowlers at bay. The duo has also completed more than 60 runs together and taking Afghanistan inning forward.
AFG - 98/3 (24)
Adil Rashid broke the 103-run partnership between Hashmatullah Shahidi and Ibrahim Zadran by dismissing Shahidi in the 30th over. He bowled Shahidi to take the fourth wicket of Afghanistan. Azmatullah Omarzai is the newest batter at the crease.
AFG - 143/4 (30)
The qualification for the semi-finals in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 has become very complicated after the washout between Australia and South Africa on Tuesday. From Group A, India and New Zealand have sealed the place in the semis but in Group B, things are not clear.
The winner of this match (Afghanistan vs England) will stay alive in the race for the semis whereas the loser will finish their hopes. If England win, they will have to win their next match against South Africa to qualify for the semis and if Afghanistan wins, they have to win their next match against Australia to enter semi-final.
South Africa and Australia simply need to win their respective next matches to book a place in the semis.
After the dismissal of Hashmatullah Shahidi, Azmatullah Omarzai has complimented Ibrahim Zadran well enough and the duo have added run-a-ball 35 odd runs for the fifth wicket. Zadran is nearing his hundred and could go berserk over English bowlers after completing his century.
AFG - 180/4 (36)
Ibrahim Zadran completes his second hundred in the ICC events with a single off Liam Livingstone in the 37th over. Azmatullah Omarzai smashed a six on the very next ball Zadran completed his ton. Omarzai targeted Mark Wood and hit a six then a four in his over. Zadran also completed his over with a boundary.
AFG - 208/4 (38)
Azmatullah Omarzai lost his wicket while trying to go for a big shot. Mohammad Nabi replaced him at the crease and tried to charge from the first ball. Ibrahim Zadran has changed his gears after completing his century. Now, Afghanistan are eyeing 300 runs.
AFG - 227/5 (42)
Ibrahim Zadran completed his 150 to become the only second player in ICC Champions Trophy to hit 150 after Ben Duckett. Mohammad Nabi also shifted his gears and targeted English bowlers hit Joe Root for two sixes in the 47th over. Zadran has showed brilliant fitness with multiple quick doubles sing singles.
AFG - 299/5 (47)
Ibrahim Zadran and Mohammad Nabi went berserk in the last three overs and targeted every English bowler. The duo added 10 runs from Jofra Archer's over then 14 runs from the next over of Jamie Overton. Zadran also became the highest scorer in the ICC Champions Trophy history when he surpassed Ben Duckett's 165 runs. He lost his wicket in the last over when Liam Livingstone came to bowl. Nabi also lost his wicket and Livingstone conceded only two runs in the over.
AFG - 325/7 (50)
Brief Score: AFG - 325/7 (50)
Ibrahim Zadran - 177 (146), Azmatullah Omarzai - 41 (31) | Jofra Archer: (10-0-64-3)
177 Ibrahim Zadran 100 vs ENG Lahore 2025
165 Ben Duckett vs AUS Lahore 2025
145*Nathan Astle vs USA The Oval 2004
145 Andy Flower vs IND Colombo RPS 2002
141*Sourav Ganguly vs RSA Nairobi 2000
141 Sachin Tendulkar vs AUS Dhaka 1998
141 Graeme Smith vs ENG Centurion 2009
Phil Salt and Ben Duckett opened the batting for England and Fazalhaq Farooqi started the first over from Afghanistan. Salt welcomed him with a four. He collected another boundary in the over to finish the over with eight runs.
ENG - 8/0 (1)
Azmatullah Omarzai opened the attack with Fazalhaq Farooqi and he got the first wicket in the match when he dismissed Phil Salt in the fourth over. He bowled Salt with an inswinging delivery. Jamie Smith is the new batter at the crease.
ENG - 24/1 (5)
Mohammad Nabi got rid of Jamie Smith on his first delivery of the match. Just like the last match, he got a wicket on the first ball of the match. He was introduced into the attack in the sixth over and he struck with the first ball. Joe Root came to the crease after that. Ben Duckett looked in control and added runs at a reasonable pace.
ENG - 60/2 (10)
Joe Root and Ben Duckett have stopped England from losing any further wicket in the game and have taken the game forward. The duo has added more than 65 runs for the third wicket and are looking strong. England need a big partnership here if they want to stay alive in the game and tournament eventually.
ENG - 97/2 (16)
Rashid Khan got rid of the set batter Ben Duckett in the 17th over. Harry Brook joined Joe Root at the crease and the duo started owning the spinners. Brook charged against them and hit three fours. Root took his time and is approaching his half-century.
ENG - 124/3 (20)
Mohammad Nabi got rid of the set batter Harry Brook in the 22nd over when he was caught & bowled in a soft dismissal. Brook could not believe that. His partnership with Joe Root was going good but Nabi did the damage and now Jos Buttler is the new batter at the crease.
ENG - 137/4 (23)
Joe Root completed his half-century in 50 balls and took the game alive for England. After Harry Brook's dismissal, captain Jos Buttler has given full support to Root and the duo is nearing their 50-run stand for the fifth wicket. England still need 154 runs in the last 20 overs.
ENG - 172/4 (30)
Joe Root and Jos Buttler have added more than 80 runs for the fifth wicket and the duo is going strong as England are chasing 326-run target. England still need 112 runs to win the match in 14 overs. Root is approaching his hundred where Buttler is also reaching closer to his half-century. But both of the batters will not be concerned about their personal milestones as the greater thing is to win this match and stay relevant in the tournament.
ENG - 214/4 (36)
Jos Buttler lost his wicket to Azmatullah Omarzai in the 37th over and Liam Livingstone replaced him at the crease. But he could not stay for long as Gulbadin Naib dismissed him in his first over in the match. Joe Root completed his century in the 42nd over. This is his first ODI ton after 37 innings after five years in the format.
ENG - 251/6 (42)
Joe Root has started shifting gears after completing his century. Jamie Overton, who is an able batter, hit two boundaries to started the 43rd over. Root hit Farooqi for a six with his trademark scoop. Now, England need 48 runs to win this match in the last five overs. Farooqi and Azmatullah Omarzai to bowl the next five overs. Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid and Mark Wood are the next batters for England.
ENG - 278/6 (45)
Azamtullah Omarzai came to bowl the 46th over and he got rid of the centurion Joe Root. Jofra Archer is the new batter at the crease and he started with a bang! Now, England need 35 runs to win this match in the last four overs.
ENG - 291/7 (46)
First Azmatullah Omarzai dismissed Jamie Overton then Fazalhaq Farooqi got rid of Jofra Archer. Farooqi conceded only three runs in the second last over. Now. England need 13 runs in the last over.
ENG - 313/9 (49)
Azmatullah Omarzai came to bowl the last over and he dismissed Adil Rashid on the fifth delivery of the over to win the match by eight runs. Omarzai also completed his fifer with this wicket. England are knocked out of the tournament! Afghanistan are alive!
ENG - 317/10 (49.5)
5/58 Azmatullah Omarzai vs Eng Lahore CT 2025
4/30 Mohd Nabi vs SL Cardiff WC 2019
4/34 Fazalhaq Farooqi vs SL Pune WC 2023
4/34 Shapoor Zadran vs Scu Dunedin WC 2015
I was expecting that, I wanted to grab one good catch for the team. Whenever I grabbed it (the winning catch), that feeling was great. It means a lot to me, as much as you work hard, I was having trust on myself and I wanted to keep on batting. That 177 is a special moment for me. We have played here last time in Asia Cup, so I had the idea. I wanted to take time and play proper cricketing shots and that worked for me so I’m happy. When you win a game, it gives you a lot of energy and it gives you confidence. We will try to play even better play in the next game. We will be playing against Australia so we will try to do as less mistakes as possible. We will have a plan and do our best.
As a team we are happy. Our nation will be happy with this win. Moving on to the next game. We beat them first time in 2023. We are improving day by day. Today was a tense game. We controlled it well. I am happy with the result. Zadran is a talented guy. We were three down at the beginning and the pressure was on. The partnership between me and him was crucial. One of the best ODI knocks that I have seen. Azmat played a good knock. Played with positive intent. He bowled crucial overs as well. We have talented youngsters and some senior guys. Everyone knows their role. Everyone is doing good. Hopefully, we will take the momentum to the game versus Australia. It will give us confidence but it will be a new day. That game will decide who will go to the semis. We will do what is good for us on that day.
Disappointing to be knocked out of the tournament early. We had our chances in the game and we didn't take them. Root played an unbelievable innings and we needed one of the top six batters to stay with him. The last 10 overs got away from us a bit. Credit to Ibrahim, he played a fantastic innings. 113 off the last 10 pushed them up to a very good score on that pitch. Unfortunately in his 4th over he (Wood) felt his knee, credit to him for bowling through the pain and showing a lot of character. It was difficult (in the death overs with Wood injured and Root bowling the 47th over), Livi was also off the field but credit to him for coming back. He (Root) has been a brilliant player in all formats and showed us the way to handle the pressure. His ODI record is fantastic. If I knew I wouldn't be playing the way I am (referring to his bad form), being one of the best players in the world it is disappointing when you don't perform. Don't want to make any emotional decisions.
Ibrahim Zadran was named Player of the Match for his historic knock. Afghanistan have made the upcoming Group B matches interesting with another stunning win in an ICC event. They can't betaken lightly. They will face Australia next on 28 February at the same venue, whereas England will clash with South Africa on 1 March in Karachi.