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LAHORE, Pakistan :Tournament debutants Afghanistan sent England packing from the Champions Trophy after opener Ibrahim Zadran's epic 177 set up their narrow eight-run victory in a Group B thriller on Wednesday.
LAHORE, Pakistan : Bleeding runs in the death overs and failing to offer adequate support to Joe Root cost England dearly, captain Jos Buttler said after their elimination from the Champions Trophy following an eight-run loss to Afghanistan on Wednesday.
Ibrahim Zadran's majestic 177 and pacer Azmatullah Omarzai's fifer trumped Joe Root's masterful hundred, as the brave Afghanistan registered a thrilling 8-run win to knock a largely-insipid England out of the Champions Trophy on Wednesday. England are winless after two matches and in their last league match in Group B they will face South Africa, who already have three points along with Australia. Afghanistan now have two points and will have to beat the Aussies in their final group match to entertain the hopes of reaching the last eight. For a long time, England's chase merely rattled along as the dismissal of Phil Salt and Jamie Smith jolted them early. They were 30 for two then, and eventually ended up at 317 all out with a ball to spare as pacer Omarzai (5/58) struck at crucial junctures.
Does playing at a single venue give Team India an advantage over 7 other teams in the ICC Champions Trophy? Many former cricketers and pundits have spoken of the 'undeniable advantage' that Rohit Sharma's side has enjoyed since the start of the tournament, thanks to a unique setup that sees them play all of their matches in Dubai. Other teams, in comparison, have had to travel to different venues, and adapt to different types of wickets. When England captain Jos Buttler was asked about the 'advantage' Team India has and his view on it, he gave a subtle response.
Afghanistan vs England LIVE Updates, Champions Trophy: Ibrahim Zadran's slammed a century to lead Afghanistan's charge in their Champions Trophy match against England in Lahore. Zadran is the first batter from Afghanistan to score a century in the ODI World Cup, as well as the Champions Trophy. After Afghanistan opted to bat at the Gaddafi Stadium, Jofra Archer dismissed both Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Sediqullah Atal in the fifth over of the match. England have made just one change, bringing Jamie Overton in place of injured Brydon Carse, while Afghanistan remained unchanged. Both teams are in a do-or-die situation, as the loser will be eliminated from the tournament. (Live Scorecard)
England captain Jos Buttler says he and his teammates are saddened by the plight of women in Afghanistan but have decided to play the side from the Taliban-ruled country as sport offers hope in tough times. The Taliban took over the reins of Afghanistan in 2021 and banned women's sports besides restricting their access to education and work. Last month, a group of British lawmakers had urged the England cricket team to boycott the Champions Trophy fixture against Afghanistan as a sign of protest against the treatment meted out to women in the country.
A battered England will hope to keep their Champions Trophy hopes alive when they face a dangerous Afghanistan in a crucial group B match in Lahore on Wednesday. A defeat here would severely dent both the teams' dreams of a semifinal berth in the tournament, as South Africa and Australia have already notched up two points. The days of England's white ball supremacy are far behind now, as the former world champions' creaking unit even failed to defend a 350-plus total against Australia in their tournament opener.
Joe Root has thrown his support behind white-ball captain Jos Buttler despite England's shaky start to the Champions Trophy, describing him as a "brilliant leader" who has the support of the entire dressing room.