Afghanistan delivered a stunning performance to defeat England by eight runs in a high-stakes match at the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. The dramatic encounter at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, saw Ibrahim Zadran’s record-breaking 177-run innings and Azmatullah Omarzai’s five-wicket haul secure a crucial victory.
Batting first in a virtual knockout match, Afghanistan posted a solid 325-7. In response, England fought hard but fell short, getting bowled out for 317 in 49.5 overs. This defeat ended England’s chances of reaching the semi-finals, while Afghanistan stayed in the hunt for a spot in the last four.
Joe Root played a valiant knock, scoring 120 runs, but England kept losing wickets at regular intervals. This marked their second consecutive loss to Afghanistan in ODIs, following their shocking defeat in the 2023 World Cup.
With just 13 runs needed off the final over and one wicket in hand, England hoped for a late comeback. However, Omarzai kept his composure, conceding only four runs and dismissing Adil Rashid to seal the win.
Amid calls for a boycott by some British politicians over the situation of women in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan, the Afghan team remained focused. Opting to bat first, they aimed to recover from their previous loss to South Africa. However, they stumbled early, losing three wickets for 37 runs in the first nine overs.
Zadran then took charge, building a crucial 103-run partnership with captain Hashmatullah Shahidi, who contributed 40 runs. Later, he added another 111 runs with Mohammad Nabi, who smashed 40 off just 24 balls.
Zadran’s masterclass saw him surpass his previous highest ODI score of 162. His 146-ball innings, featuring 12 fours and six sixes, also set a new record for the highest individual score in the tournament. This came just days after Ben Duckett’s 165 against Australia.
Afghanistan captain Shahidi was full of praise. “It was one of the best ODI innings I have ever seen,” he said.
England’s chances took a hit when Mark Wood suffered a knee injury during his fourth over. He managed to bowl only eight overs before leaving the field.
Chasing 326, England started poorly. Mohammad Nabi struck with his first ball, dismissing Jamie Smith for nine. The team struggled at 30-2 before Duckett and Root tried to rebuild with a 68-run partnership. However, Rashid Khan trapped Duckett lbw for 38, denting England’s chase.
Harry Brook looked comfortable at the crease but gifted his wicket to Nabi, caught and bowled for 25. Root then partnered with captain Jos Buttler in an 83-run stand, keeping England’s hopes alive.
Afghanistan bowlers maintained pressure with tight lines. Omarzai struck again, dismissing Buttler for 38 off a top-edge catch at deep square-leg. Soon after, Liam Livingstone followed him back to the pavilion.
Root fought hard, reaching his first ODI century in five years. Alongside Jamie Overton, he kept England in the chase with well-timed boundaries. But Afghanistan got the breakthrough they needed when Omarzai dismissed Root, caught behind.
“Buttler praised Root’s effort. “He played an unbelievable innings tonight. The way he handled the pressure in the run chase was incredible,” he said. “He just needed one of the other top-order batters to stay with him.”
The game remained on edge as Omarzai struck again, sending Overton back. Despite a late push from Jofra Archer, England became the third team eliminated from the eight-nation tournament, joining hosts Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Playing XIs
Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi.
England: Philip Salt, Ben Duckett, Jamie Smith (wk), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler (c), Liam Livingstone, Jofra Archer, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood.
Afghanistan’s triumph over England in this ICC Champions Trophy 2025 match will be remembered as one of their greatest ODI victories. Their all-round performance, led by Zadran and Omarzai, kept their semi-final dreams alive in style.
