AFG vs ENG highlights, Champions Trophy 2025: Afghanistan wins by 8 runs, knocks England out

AFG vs ENG highlights, Champions Trophy 2025: Afghanistan wins by 8 runs, knocks England out

What a game we had. Afghanistan was 39/3 and then got to 325 on the back of a terrific century by Ibrahim Zadran. Later, Joe Root struck a hundred but a five-wicket haul by Azmatullah Omarzai overshadowed it and kept Afghanistan in the race for semifinals. England has been knocked out. 

England needs 13 runs off the last over. 

Omarzai with the ball. Rashid gets a single off the first ball. Wood is injured and can’t run. Wood slashes and gets a single. Rashid skies but only gets a single. Wood gets a single. 9 off 2 balls. OUT! Rashid is caught at long off. England knocked out!!!

Five wickets for Omarzai.

Farooqi. A dot off the first ball. Rashid takes a single off the next ball. Full toss but only a single. Rashid cuts and steals a single. OUT! Archer is gone!! Another slower delivery, Archer skies it and straight to the fielder in the deep. Archer falls for 14. 

Mark Wood is the last man in. Dot ball. 

Omarzai. Short ball, wide. England needs 24 off 18 balls. Archer tries to go over mid off. Rashid runs back, dives but couldn’t hold on to it. Tough chance but Archer survives. Short ball, Overton pulls the ball towards midwicket for four. He takes a single. Archer takes a single as well. Still two more balls remaining in this over. OUT!! Overton is gone. Slower ball, Overton chips it straight to long on. Overton falls for 32 off 28 balls. 

Adil Rashid is the new man in. He takes a single. 

Farooqi. Archer works the ball towards leg side and steals a double. Archer gets an inside edge it goes past keeper for four! Full toss but Archer can only get a single. Overton slashes towards deep point and gets a double due to a fumble. 

Omarzai is back. Length ball and Root pulls it behind square leg for four. OUT! Root is gone. Huge wickettt! Back of the length, tried to upper cut it but ends up giving it straight to keeper. Root falls for 120 off 111 balls. 

Jofra Archer at the crease. He’s off the mark with a cracking cut past point for four. 

Farooqi. Short ball and Root ramps the ball over the keeper for a SIX!! Gutsy shot. Root went for a reverse ramp to end the over but couldn’t connect. 10 from the over. 

Rashid. Root pushes the ball towards long on and fumble from the fielder helps him get a second. Root is getting cramps. Seven runs off the over. 

Farooqi is back and Overton welcomes him with a four towards fine leg. Another four, this time pulled in front of square. Takes a single off the next ball. 10 runs off that over. 

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Rashid. Root on 99. He takes a single towards square leg and gets to his century off 98 balls. On the pads and Overton guides it towards fine leg and runs three. 

Naib. Short ball and Root pulls it in front of midwicket and gets a four. Overton takes a quick single and would have been out had it the stumps directly. Root pulls behind square leg but good effort in the deep keep it to two. 

Noor. Very tight over, just a single came. England needs 90 runs in last 10 overs

Naib is back. Four! Livingstone goes on backfoot and punches past point for four. OUT! Livingstone is gone. Width on offer, Livingstone slashes but gets an outside edge straight to keeper. 

Jamie Overton is the new man in. Seven runs and a wicket in that over. 

Noor is back. Root takes out the reverse sweep and finds the fence towards deep third. Eight runs off the over. 

Omarzai. OUT! Buttler is gone. Short ball, went for a pull, gets a top edge and is caught in the deep. 

Liam Livingstone is off the mark with a four towards deep third. 

Rashid. Root finishes an otherwise quiet over with a four towards midwicket. 

Azmat into the attack. He starts with a bouncer to Buttler. He is not in control of this pull, but gets a single to deep square. Three more singles and a wide in that over. 

Rashid for his seventh over. One more over without a boundary. Six come off it and given the match equation, Afghanistan would not mind it.

Noor to continue. Afghanistan manages to avoid a boundary in this over. But the England batters milk the field to pick seven off the over.

SIX! Another six through the on side for Buttler, once more he takes on Nabi. He clips the third delivery to square leg, picks a single. Root punches to long on, one run.

154 needed off 120 deliveries.

Noor again. FOUR! Short and wide, and Root cuts this away past extra covers. Two more through midwicket. Three singles make it nine off the over.

SIX! The first maximum of the innings. Buttler steps out and plinks this over deep midwicket. Nine runs from the over.

Three runs from Noor’s over. There’s another lbw appeal against Buttler who misses a reverse sweep but this one is drifting wide of off stump.

Nabi back. Two for Root through backward point with a reverse sweep. Two more through covers. Root sweeps for a single to deep square. Buttler survives an LBW call. He tries to clip off his front foot but misses. He is hit on the pad and Afghanistan takes the appeal to third umpire. But the ball is just clipping the stumps and the umpire’s call saves him.

Noor to Buttler, he drives but extra covers dives to prevent a single. He clips off his front foot on the second, gets one. Noor goes wide to Root, whacks this to long off but gets only one. Buttler misses an attempted reverse sweep.

Rashid to Root, clips to midwicket to get to FIFTY. Three more singles off the over.

Noor to Root, punches off his backfoot to long off, one run. Singles to long off on the next three deliveries. Root closes the over with a drive to long on.

Rashid to Root, clips the third delivery to deep midwicket, one run. Buttler pockets a single to deep cover. Root with another flick through the on side for one. Buttler punches the final delivery to long off, makes it five off the over.

A single and a wide delivery from this over by Noor. Buttler is beaten on a drive. Noor gets a warning for stepping into the danger area on the pitch.

Nabi to continue. Brook gets a single to long on. Root punches to long on for another single. GONE! Brook fluffs this back to the bowler. A soft, soft dismissal.

Harry Brook c & b Nabi 25 (21)

Jos Buttler at No. 6. Tucks the first delivery to fine leg for one. Root with another run to long on.

Noor to Brook, picks a single to backward point. Root pushes to long on for another run. Brook gets a single to deep midwicket. FOUR for Root. He sweeps this full toss to fine leg.

Nabi back into the attack. Four runs from the over.

Rashid to continue. FOUR! Brook drives through the line to beat the extra covers man. 10 runs from the over.

Noor Ahmed into the attack. Root picks a single to deep cover. FOUR! Brook nudges this past backward point. Brook then clips off his pads for a single. A single to long off for Root on the fifth ball. Brook with a drive past extra covers for one run.

Rashid to Root, pulls through mid wicket but Shahidi stops it from leaving the circle, dot ball. A leg bye to short fine leg on the third delivery. OUT! The fourth turns into Duckett, Afghanistan with a loud appeal and Rashid goes up for a review. There’s a bit of a doubt regarding an inside edge, nothing on the UltraEdge. Three reds on the ball tracker and Duckett is gone. A massive break for Afghanistan.

Ben Duckett lbw b Rashid 38 (45)

Harry Brook is the new batter. He square cuts his first delivery through point for FOUR! 

Farooqi continues for Afghanistan. Two singles each for Root and Duckett.

Time for a drinks break!

Rashid. Root and Duckett have gone past the fifty-run stand. Duckett ramps and gets a double. FOUR! Root cuts off the backfoot to end the over. 

Farooqi. Duckett gets a leading edge and Shahidi at the mid off region dives forward but drops the catch. Could be a massive drop. Five runs off the over. 

Rashid Khan into the attack. Duckett pulls him for four towards midwicket. Root pushes the ball towards midwicket, there’s a misfield inside the circle. The fielder in the deep does well to keep it down to three. 

Nabi. Was a good over by Nabi, giving away just four singles till Root took out his reverse sweep and got a boundary off the last ball. 

Omarzai. Another boundary for Duckett. Drive past cover for four. Duckett chips but falls short of the mid off fielder. The slower delivery had him. Six runs off the over. 

Nabi. Duckett gets a double towards midwicket. Overpitched and Duckett smashes the ball over cover for four! Root finishes the over with a reverse sweep fine of short third for four. 

Omarzai continues. Root finds the fence again as he pushes the ball towards midwicket region for four. Just that boundary in that over. 

Mohammad Nabi into the attack. OUT! Smith is gone. Smith came down the track and went for a slog, get a leading edge straight to backward point. 

Joe Root is here. He gets off the mark with a four. Duckett makes room on the leg side, Nabi chases him and the ball beats him and the keeper to go for four byes. 

Omarzai. Length ball and Smith picks it towards midwicket for four. Six runs off the over. 

Farooqi. Jamie Smith gets his first boundary – backfoot punch towards cover point for four. Five runs off the over. 

Omarzai. OUT! Salt is cleaned up. Length ball, Salt went to hit towards leg side but isn’t able to put bat behind the ball which crashes onto the stumps. Two runs and a wicket in that over. 

Farooqi. Salt pushes the ball behind square leg and gets a double. Inside edge but Salt is lucky ball goes past stump towards fine leg for a single. Duckett flicks the ball towards square leg and runs two. 

Azmatullah Omarzai from the other end. Keeping it back of the length to Duckett. Full ball now and Duckett drives it past cover for four. Just four runs off the over. 

Phil Salt and Ben Duckett open the innings. Fazalhaq Farooqi with the new ball. 

Salt begins the chase with a first ball drive past mid off for four. Farooqi immediately pulls his length back. Another boundary, this time punched off the backfoot towards cover for four. Eight runs off the first over. 

Yet another innings that just spins out of England’s control. At 37/3, Afghanistan was on the ropes and England looked on course to finish off this contest early. But Ibrahim Zadran sparked life into the contest with his 177. Forties from Hashmatullah Shahidi, Azmatullah Omarzai and Mohammad Nabi too played a vital role in supporting Ibrahim through the innings.

England will take a bit of respite knowing that it scored 350 in its last match here. But it will also be haunted by the memory of facing Afghan spinners, who had constructed Afghanistan’s win in the ICC ODI World Cup in 2023.

We’ll be back with the chase in a bit.

Livingstone to bowl the final over. WICKET! Ibrahim’s heroic knock ends on 177. He slog sweeps to pick Archer at deep square leg.

Ibrahim Zadran c Archer b Livingstone 177 (146)

A single for Gulbadin Naib to get off the mark. Now Nabi holes out at long on trying to go for a big hit. 

Mohammad Nabi c Root b Livingstone 40 (24)

Rashid Khan with a wild slog, gets a top edge over the keeper for one. Naib is beaten on the final delivery, meaning the last over gets just two runs and two wickets.

Overton to bowl the next. SIX for Ibrahim! In the slot again, and this is wide too to allow him to free his arms, deposits this over long on. 14 runs from the over.

Archer to bowl his final over. SIX! Ibrahim stands still in his crease, waits for this slot ball to get to him and chips this over long on. Nabi is hit on the helmet on the final delivery. This will take some time to check.

Root to bowl now. SIX! In the slot and Nabi parks this over long on. SIX more! Whacks this over midwicket. FOUR! This is wide and Nabi slashes hard. Duckett should have had this covered at point but he misfields. A single to long on on the fourth delivery. Ibrahim gets FOUR through extra covers.

Overton to bowl the next. Ibrahim picks two runs behind square on the on side. Livingstone in trouble now, he fields the second delivery at long on and hobbles through after collecting the ball, with injury seeming to be on his right knee. 150 for Ibrahim with two more on the third delivery. Another 10 from this over.

Rashid for his final over. SIX! Nabi rocks back and pulls this over deep midwicket. Phil Salt is stationed at the deep but sees the ball sail just over his head. Four more singles in the over.

Archer is back. Zadran welcomes him with a huge six over midwicket. Zadran smacks three back-to-back boundaries towards backward point. First opens the bat off a yorker, then cuts a length delivery before once again opening the bat off a full delivery. 

Wood for his eighth over. FOUR! Another hit down the ground from Ibrahim. An edge to third man for one run. Nabi taps to covers and sets off for a single. Ibrahim is scrambling at the striker’s end and would have been gone with a direct hit. Nine off the over.

Overton to Ibrahim, one run. This short-arm jab is going towards deep mid wicket but Archer is in two minds whether to dive for it or not, ends up collecting it on one bounce. Overton follows this with a wide. One run to fine leg for Nabi. Ibrahim digs out the fourth to covers for one. FOUR! Nabi cuts this one the up and gets it over the point fielder.

Mohammad Nabi is the new batter.

Five from Rashid’s over. Ibrahim picks two off the first delivery through mid wicket. Three more singles in it.

WICKET! Jamie Overton breaks this partnership. Azmat looks to clear the long on fence but picks the fielder in the deep.

Azmatullah Omarzai c sub ( Banton) b Overton 41(31)

Rashid to bowl his eighth. Just two singles from it. 

Wood to Azmat, FOUR, lofts it wide of mid off. SIX! Steps down the ground and cross-bats this into the sight screen. 10 runs off the first two. A yorker from Wood hits Azmat on his right foot, a leg bye off it. But Azmat is hurt and the physio is out to have a look. A bouncer from Wood, Ibrahim hooks this behind square for two runs. FOUR! Ibrahim drives through cover for another boundary. 18 runs from it with a single off the last ball.

Livingstone to continue. 100 for Ibrahim Zadran! A quick single through mid wicket gets him to the mark. The first Afghan to hit a century in the Champions Trophy. SIX for Azmat! He gets a full-length delivery and lofts it straight down the ground. Ibrahim picks a single to long on off the final delivery.

Wood again. Azmat drills the first through covers despite falling off his feet, one run. Ibrahim nudges the next to deep third for another run. Azmat drives the third to deep cover, one. Ibrahim drives down the ground, gets two by the time long on cuts if off. He runs the penultimate ball to third man, moves to 98 with a single. Azmat gets two through deep cover, making it eight from the over.

Livingstone returns for his third. A single off every delivery barring the fourth. Five from it.

Mark Wood will take a chance. He is standing at the top of his mark, ready to bowl his fifth over. He starts with a length ball at 133 clicks, pretty sombre for his standards. He bowls in a full toss too which Ibrahim cannot put away. The fourth is sliced through cover-point for two.

Archer to continue. Six runs in the over including a wide. Wood, though on the field, still struggling to move around freely. 

Azmat finishes Rashid’s over with a SIX! A bit of flight on this but its right in the slot, Azmat gets down on one knee and slog sweeps this over mid wicket. 10 runs in the over.

Archer into the attack. Azmat cuts through point to pick a single on the first delivery. One run for Ibrahim to long on. A wide in the over. Azmat gets one to deep cover. A single for Ibrahim to third man. Another run to deep cover for Azmat. Six runs in it.

Rashid back into the attack. Ibrahim punches through covers, Buttler gets a hand to it but cannot stop the single. WICKET! The change works for England. Shahidi goes for a reverse sweep against Rashid, completely misses the shot and sees the ball break the stumps..

Hashmatullah Shahidi b Rashid 40(67)

Azamtullah Omarzai in at No. 6.

Four runs in the over and a wicket.

Root to bowl his sixth. FOUR! Shahidi goes over covers and picks the fence. Two more singles make it six runs from it.

Overton to Ibrahim, SIX! Classy from Ibrahim! He walks away, makes room and whacks this over long off. FOUR now, just subtly clips it away off his pads. Ibrahim pulls the fifth to deep square for two. FOUR through covers on the final delivery. 16 runs from it.

Root to Ibrahim, one run to deep mid wicket. He wants to heave this but Root fires this flat into his pads to not allow the room to free his arms. A single to Shahidi with a push to covers. A ramp sweep gets Ibrahim one more run. Shahidi cuts to point for one. Ibrahim punches to long on for another run.

Overton back into the attack. FOUR! Ibrahim chips this full delivery back over the bowler’s head. A late cut to third man for one run. Shahidi drives to extra covers for one. A short-arm jab from Ibrahim fetches him two runs. A pull to deep fine leg for a single. Nine runs from the over.

Root. Shahidi comes down the track and finds the gap between short midwicket and mid on fielder for four. Root does well to bowl four dot balls after that to only concede five runs off the over. 

Fifty for Zadran off 65 balls. He has played really well so far; has kept the scoreboard ticking. Four more singles added in that Livingstone over. 

Liam Livingstone into the attack. It was a fine over for the first five balls before Zadran paddle sweeps a full for four past short fine leg and make it seven off the over. 

Rashid. Zadran comes down the track and smacks the ball over long on for SIX! A much better over for Afghanistan, 10 runs off it. 

Joe Root into the attack. Not much spin out there yet. Very good start for Root, just two runs off the over. 

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Zadran and Shahidi are rebuilding the innings and this could turn out to be a very important partnership for Afghanistan. However, England is still controlling the scoring rate. 

Rashid. Shahidi reverse sweeps, sweetly timed but can only get two runs off it. Five runs came in that over. 

Overton. Shahidi finds width and slashes the ball behind point for four! Afghanistan adds five more runs to the total in this over. 

England has put in a chokehold over the scoring rate. While Zadran is still there, the runs are only coming through singles. 

Adil Rashid has been introduced. Just like the rest of the bowlers, Adil is also right on the money and starts off by giving away just one run in the over. 

Archer into his sixth over. Not often you see Archer bowling six overs on the trot, especially in ODIs. He has bowled well and with good pace. 

Overton into the attack. A great PowerPlay for England bowlers. Just two runs from the last over. 

Archer. Another wicket for Archer! Rahmat Shah tries to pull, gets a top edge straight to deep third. Afghanistan loses three wickets in the PowerPlay with seven more balls to go. 

Hashmat Shahidi in at five. 

Wood. He’s getting some medical treatment and the game is paused. A two-minute break and he’s back. Four runs off the over. 

Wood continues. Zadran gets the first six of the match as he hit the ball over deep third. In the next over, Zadran smacks back-to-back fours off Archer to up the ante. 

Archer. OUT! Gurbaz is gone. Fuller length, Gurbaz goes for the drive, gets an inside edge onto the stumps. He falls for seven off 15 balls. 

Sediq Atal in at three. He’s off the mark with a four towards midwicket. An LBW appeal against Atal and umpire has given it! Afghanistan has taken review. Three reds and Atal has to go. Third umpire had to confirm the bat hitting the pad first and the ball hitting the pad.

Rahmat Shah in at four. Four runs and two wickets in that over. 

Wood. Shapes away and squares up Gurbaz. Gurbaz comes down the track and gets thickish outside edge towards deep third for a single. Three more singles added in that over. 

Archer. Length ball, Gurbaz picks it behind square leg but a good effort in the deep keeps it down to double. Just those two runs came in that over. 

Mark Wood from the other end. Gurbaz defends off the backfoot and calls for a quick single. Salt hits a direct hit but Zadran dives and his safely home. A very good over, ball shaping away from the right handers. One run from it. 

Archer to Gurbaz, single off the first ball towards deep third. Archer to Zadran, back of the length, dot. Zadran is off the mark with a single towards deep fine leg. Four runs off the over. 

We are done with national anthems. Afghanistan opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran are in the middle. Jofra Archer with the new ball. 

England (Playing XI): 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 (Playing XI): Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi.

Afghanistan wins the toss and elects to bat against England.

Matches Played: 3

England won: 2

Afghanistan won: 1

Last result: Afghanistan beat England by 69 runs (Delhi; 2023) 

WICKETKEEPERS

Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Jos Buttler, Phil Salt (c)

BATTERS

Den Duckett (vc)

ALL-ROUNDERS

Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Joe Root

BOWLERS

Rashid Khan, Adil Rashid, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Mark Wood

Team Combination: AFG 5-6 ENG| Credits Left: 10.5

AFGHANISTAN PREDICTED XI

Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmed, Fazalhaq Farooqi.

ENGLAND PREDICTED XI

Phil Salt, Ben Duckett, Jamie Smith (wk), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler (c), Liam Livingstone, Jamie Overton, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood.

When is the Afghanistan vs England Champions Trophy 2025 match?

The ICC Champions Trophy match between Afghanistan and England will begin at 2:30 PM IST on Wednesday, February 26, at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

Where to watch Afghanistan vs England Champions Trophy 2025 match LIVE?

The ICC Champions Trophy match between Afghanistan and England will be telecast live on the Star Sports Network and Sports18 Network. The action will be streamed live on the JioHotstar app and website. Moreover, you can stay tuned to Sportstar’s website and app for all the updates from the match.

Afghanistan: Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Ikram Alikhil, Gulbadin Naib, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Nangyal Kharoti, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Farid Malik, Naveed Zadran.

England: Jos Buttler (c), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Tom Banton, Harry Brook, Rehan Ahmed, Ben Duckett, Jamie Overton, Jamie Smith, Liam Livingstone, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Saqib Mahmood, Phil Salt, Mark Wood.

Published on Feb 26, 2025