Afghanistan secured a thrilling 8-run victory over England, knocking them out of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Ibrahim Zadran’s outstanding 177 and Azmatullah Omarzai’s five-wicket haul outshone Joe Root’s century. This marked Afghanistan’s second consecutive ICC 50-over tournament win over England, following their victory in the 2023 ODI World Cup.

England’s Struggles Continue

With two losses in Group B, England remains winless. Their final match is against South Africa, who already have three points along with Australia. Meanwhile, Afghanistan must beat Australia in their last group match to keep their quarterfinal hopes alive.

Root Fights Alone as England Falls Short

England’s chase started poorly, losing Phil Salt and Jamie Smith early, reducing them to 30/2. However, Joe Root (120 off 111 balls) stabilized the innings with two key partnerships—68 runs with Ben Duckett (38) and 83 runs with Jos Buttler. These stands kept England within reach but lacked acceleration. Duckett and Buttler’s dismissals forced Root to take full responsibility. His composed knock featured classic strokes, including a reverse sweep off Noor Ahmad and a scooped six off Fazalhaq Farooqi. Eventually, he reached his 17th ODI century but fell to Omarzai while attempting a ramp shot. Jamie Overton (32 off 28) tried to push England closer, adding 54 runs for the seventh wicket. Unfortunately, his dismissal to Omarzai sealed England’s fate as they were bowled out for 317 with one ball remaining.

Zadran’s Heroic Knock Sets Up Big Total

Earlier, Afghanistan posted 325/7, led by a sensational innings from Zadran. He scored 177 off 146 balls, including 12 fours and 6 sixes. Additionally, he built crucial partnerships, adding 103 runs with captain Hashmatullah Shahidi (40) and 72 runs with Omarzai (41). Later, he combined with Mohammad Nabi (40 off 24) for a 111-run stand, piling pressure on England. Afghanistan had a shaky start after choosing to bat. Jofra Archer (3/64) struck early, dismissing Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Sediquallah Atal, and Rahmat Shah, leaving Afghanistan at 37/3 inside the Powerplay.

Zadran Leads Recovery, England Falters

Zadran and Shahidi rebuilt cautiously. Then, once Zadran reached his fifty off 65 balls, he switched gears. He attacked Jamie Overton with consecutive boundaries and later punished Archer with a brutal over, hitting him for 6, 4, 4, 4. Even after losing Omarzai, Zadran accelerated, reaching his second 150-plus score in ODIs. Moreover, he and Nabi added quick runs at over 11 per over, as England’s bowlers struggled. Injured pacer Mark Wood could bowl only eight overs, further weakening England’s attack. Finally, Zadran fell to Liam Livingstone in the last over, but Afghanistan had already inflicted significant damage. Afghanistan stays in contention, while England exits the tournament with yet another disappointing performance. Stay tuned with JUSZNEWS for regular updates!