LAHORE: Ibrahim Zadran and Azmatullah Omarzai led Afghanistan to a historic victory over England, knocking them out of the tournament with a thrilling eight-run victory in the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 here at Gaddafi Stadium on Wednesday.
Chasing a daunting total of 326 in a virtual knockout, England were bowled out on 317 in 49.5 overs. Azmatullah Omarzai starred with the ball, taking a five-wicket haul.
With this victory, Afghanistan kept their hopes alive for the Champions Trophy semi-finals, while England, the runners-up in 2004 and 2013, were eliminated from the tournament.
The England team got off to a shaky start with 30-2 in the first six overs. Phil Salt (12) was dismissed in the third over, while Jamie Smith (9) was caught off Mohammad Nabi’s bowling.
Consequently, England found themselves under immense pressure. However, Joe Root took control, playing a measured knock with rotation of strike and timely boundaries.
Root and Ben Duckett added 68 runs for the second wicket. Duckett, who had scored a century in the previous match, was dismissed for 38 runs.
Following this, Root’s partnership of 35 runs with Harry Brook briefly steadied the innings. Brook was dismissed for 25 after being caught and bowled by Nabi, leaving England 133-4 in 21.4 overs.
Joe Root continued to anchor the innings from the other end, ensuring stability despite the wickets at regular intervals.
Following Brook’s wicket, the England captain, Jos Buttler, arrived at the crease and rescued the team along with Joe Root. The duo added 83 runs for the fifth wicket.
But Omarzai broke the vital partnership with Buttler’s dismissal, who looked solid with his 38 off 42 balls. He hit two sixes in his brisk innings.
Furthermore, England’s team was rocked again by Liam Livingstone’s wicket, who was caught behind on 10 runs, thanks to Gulbadin Naib’s bowling.
With 91 runs required from 66 balls and only four wickets in hand, England’s chances appeared grim, but Joe Root added another vital 54-run partnership with Jamie Overton to put England in striking distance.
In the 46th over, Omarzai struck again, removing Joe Root, just when England needed a further 39 runs off 24 balls.
Joe Root, who scored his first ODI century since the 2019 World Cup, remained the top scorer with his masterful 120 off 111 balls, laced with 12 fours and one six
In the last over, England required 13 runs from 6 balls with one wicket in hand which proved too much.
Azmatullah Omarzai bowled the penultimate over superbly and took the wicket of Adil Rashid on the second last ball to take Afghanistan to a historic victory in their maiden outing of the eight-nation tournament.
Apart from Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi took two wickets for Afghanistan, while Rashid, Naib, and Fazalhaq Farooqi each added to the victory with one scalp apiece.
Earlier, Ibrahim Zadran’s sublime century propelled Afghanistan to a massive total of 325 in their allocated 50 overs.
Zadran’s record-breaking 177 off 146 deliveries included six huge sixes and 12 elegant boundaries.
After opting to bat first, Afghanistan got off to a shaky start as opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz (6) was bowled by Jofra Archer in the fifth over.
Archer struck again, removing Sediqullah Atal (4) and Rahmat Shah (4), leaving Afghanistan at 37-3 in 8.5 overs.
After the early inroads from England, Skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi (40) joined the opening batter, Ibrahim Zadran, steading the innings.
The duo formed a 103 runs-vital partnership to take Afghanistan to 140 in 29.3 overs. Shahidi was dismissed off Adil Rashid. His brisk knock included three fours. However, Zadran continued his dominant display, reaching a well-made half-century.
Following the captain’s wicket, emerging all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai (41) joined the half-centurion Zadran to add a 72-run stand, providing Afghanistan a strong platform for the last ten overs.
Omarzai’s quick-fire 41 off 31 balls featured three sixes and a four before he was caught off Jamie Overton. Zadran, meanwhile, remained the anchor, reaching his sixth ODI century off 106 balls.
In the last phase of the innings, Mohammad Nabi joined the centurion Ibrahim Zadran; together, they forged 111 runs partnership of just 55 balls. Nabi’s explosive 40 off 24 balls included three sixes and two fours.
Both Zadran and Nabi fell in the penultimate, but their efforts helped Afghanistan post a formidable total of 325.
For England, Jofra Archer was the stand-out bowler with his three wickets, while Liam Livingstone chipped in with his two wickets.
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