ICC Champions Trophy 2025, (Group B) AFG vs ENG: England eliminated after Afghanistan clinch a thrilling win

Afghanistan eliminated England from the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 and have stayed in the competition after a thrilling victory in the high-scoring Group B match on Wednesday (February 26) at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

It was a must-win game for both teams to stay in the tournament, as a defeat means elimination for both teams. Afghanistan's captain chose to bat first after winning the toss. While Afghanistan scored 325/7 in 50 overs, England were all out for 317 runs.

Ibrahim Zadran recorded highest score in ICC Champions Trophy history

England took Afghans' first three wickets in the first powerplay, as Jofra Archer got all those three wickets, and Afghanistan ended the first powerplay at 39/3. However, the opener Ibrahim Zadran played one of the most memorable innings of the tournament, while the captain Hashmatullah Shahidi (40), Azmatullah Omarzai (41), and Mohammad Nabi (40) provided strong support to Zadran.

Zadran completed his sixth ODI century in 106 balls and 150 runs in 134 balls. After scoring 177 off 146 balls with the help of 12 fours and six sixes, Zadran was out in the final over. With that knock, the Afghan opener broke the highest individual score record in ICC Champions Trophy history, which the English opener Ben Duckett (165) recorded this tournament in their previous game against Australia. Before his dismissal, Zadran had a 103-run partnership with the skipper Shahidi, a 72-run partnership with Omarzai, and a 111-run partnership with Nabi for the fourth, fifth, and sixth wickets, respectively.

Among the English bowlers, Jofra Archer scalped three wickets (3/64), while Liam Livingstone (2/28) got two crucial wickets in the last over of the innings, where he dismissed set batters Zadran and Nabi.

Joe Root's fighting century went in vain; Azmatullah Omarzai dominated with fifer

In reply, England were losing wickets at regular intervals. At powerplay, England scored 60/2. Ben Duckett scored 38 off 45 balls and had a crucial 68-run third-wicket partnership with Joe Root before losing his wicket. Harry Brook (25) and captain Jos Buttler (38) had some useful contributions, while Root had a 35-run partnership with Brook and another 83-run partnership with Buttler for the fourth and fifth wickets, respectively, but both the batters lost wickets when the English team was in the line to dominate as Root had to watch the tough scenes from the other end.

In the last moment, Root had a crucial 54-run partnership with Jamie Overton for the seventh wicket, which helped the England team to return to the game. Root completed his 17th ODI century in 98 balls and was dismissed by Azmatullah Omarzai in the crucial 46th over. Before his dismissal, Root, who recorded his first ODI century since the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2019, scored 120 off 111 balls with 11 fours and one six.

Jamie Overton had a valuable contribution with 32 off 28 balls but the English side just fell short of the target, as they were all out for 317 runs.

Among the Afghan bowlers, Azmatullah Omarzai claimed a fifer as he had bowling figures of 9.5-0-58-5. Also, Mohammad Nabi had an important role like the other supporting bowlers as the off-spinner recorded the bowling figures of 8-0-57-2.