Azmatullah Omarzai notched a five-wicket haul as Afghanistan landed a knockout blow to England with an eight-run win in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
Chasing 326 in what was a must-win game for both teams in Group B, England had been reduced to 313/9 at the end of the penultimate over in Lahore. The ICC Men’s ODI Cricketer Of The Year for 2024, Omarzai would remove Adil Rashid in the last over to close a memorable win for the Afghans.
It was Omarzai who had nabbed the first wicket of the innings, banging a good length delivery that skidded past Phil Salt to hand Afghanistan their opening breakthrough.
Mohammad Nabi then got the better of Jamie Smith off the first ball of his spell to make it two wickets for Afghanistan in the powerplay.
England pair of Ben Duckett and Joe Root went on to combine 68 runs for the third wicket but just as the pair seemed to be putting together a game-changing partnership, Rashid Khan struck with the ball.
England’s batting talisman Joe Root would go on to score his first ODI century since 2019 to keep England in hunt of a mammoth total.
Compiling 120 off 111 deliveries, Root laced his innings with 11 fours and a six, playing the anchor for England.
Omarzai had removed Joe Root and Craig Overton as the game went down to the wire, saw the game through by claiming Adil Rashid in the final over. However, England kept losing wickets at the other end.
Skipper Jos Buttler put together an 83-run stand with Root but Afghanistan would find their way back into the game with Omarzai removing Buttler.
The Afghan all-rounder would eventually get the better of Joe Root, catching an outside edge which was safely pouched by Rahmanullah Gurbaz to hand Afghanistan the advantage.
Earlier, Ibrahim Zadran forged 177 runs off 146 deliveries, lacing 12 fours and six maximums as Afghanistan put on their highest-ever total in ICC Men’s ODI tournaments.
With three wickets down at the end of the powerplay, Zadran combined alongside skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi to add 103 runs for the fourth wicket as Afghanistan turned the tide.
While Shahidi was removed by Adil Rashid in the 30th over, Ibrahim kept the scoreboard ticking, becoming the first-ever Afghanistan batter to score a hundred in the ICC Champions Trophy.
The swashbuckling batter then stitched a 111-run partnership with Mohammad Nabi (40) as the duo put on a power-hitting masterclass in the death overs.
Zadran overtook England’s Ben Duckett to register the highest-ever score in ICC Champions Trophy as the Afghans mounted a comeback.
For England, Jofra Archer had ripped into the Afghanistan top-order in his news ball burst. The tearaway quick had nipped one into the right hander who played it onto his stumps. The right-arm quick then trapped Sediqullah Atal leg before wicket in the same over to reduce the Afghans to 15/2.
Archer then claimed a third, luring Rahman Shah into pulling one straight to the fielder at the deep square leg.
With both teams requiring a win to stay in contention for the semi-finals, Afghanistan skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi won the toss and have opted to bat first.
While Afghanistan made no changes to their playing XI from their first outing against South Africa, England have brought in Jamie Overton to replace Brydon Carse, who misses out due to injury.
Playing XI
Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi(c), Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi
England: Phil Salt, Ben Duckett, Jamie Smith, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler(c), Liam Livingstone, Jofra Archer, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood