Afghanistan stuns England, knocks them out of Champions Trophy with thrilling 8-run victory

In a thrilling encounter at the Champions Trophy, Afghanistan delivered a stunning upset, eliminating England with an 8-run victory, keeping their semifinal hopes alive in their debut appearance at the tournament.

The win not only showcased Afghanistan’s growing prowess in world cricket but also sent England packing much earlier than expected, marking another bitter defeat for the former champions.

Afghanistan, who were put into a difficult position early in their innings, losing three wickets at just 37 runs, witnessed an extraordinary recovery led by Ibrahim Zadran.

The Afghan batter crafted an outstanding 177-run knock, the highest individual score in the tournament’s history, helping his side post a formidable 325 on the board.

Zadran’s performance has been described as nothing short of heroic, as his resilient innings came just when his team needed it the most.

England, chasing the target of 326, appeared to struggle with the same issues that have haunted them in white-ball cricket over the last few years.

The aggressive "Bazball" approach that worked so well for them in Tests simply didn’t seem to fit the format in limited-overs cricket.

While most of the English batting line-up crumbled under pressure, Joe Root stood out with a solid 120, offering a glimmer of hope for his side.

Unfortunately for England, Root too fell victim to a poorly executed shot in the 46th over, which eventually sealed their fate.

Root’s dismissal left England with a difficult task in the final overs, and their remaining batsmen were unable to handle the pressure.

The team ultimately folded for 317, one ball shy of their full quota of overs, falling just 8 runs short of the target.

This defeat, coupled with their earlier loss to Australia despite scoring 352, means England is now officially out of the tournament.

Afghanistan’s win is all the more significant given the controversy leading up to the match.

Over 160 political figures in England had called for a boycott of Afghanistan’s game before the tournament, yet ironically, it was England who ended up facing embarrassment on the field.

Afghanistan had also beaten England during the 2019 ODI World Cup, and this latest loss adds to England’s continued struggles in white-ball cricket since their 2022 T20 World Cup win.

Captain Jos Buttler now finds himself under immense pressure.

Over the past two years, Buttler has failed to score a century in ODIs and has managed only four half-centuries in that time.

However, when asked about his future after the match, Buttler chose not to comment, saying, "I don’t want to make any emotional statements right now. It’s something I and the senior figures need to think over."

Afghanistan’s road to victory wasn’t easy.

When they were reduced to 37 for 3, many believed their Champions Trophy campaign was over.

But Zadran’s monumental innings, combined with a crucial 103-run partnership with captain Azmatullah Shahidi, turned the game on its head.

Shahidi, reflecting on the team’s triumph, expressed his delight, saying, "We are happy as a team. I know the whole country is happy. We’re now looking forward to the next match against Australia."

England’s struggles in white-ball cricket have coincided with the tenure of Brendon McCullum, who took over as the Test team’s coach following their 2022 T20 World Cup win.

In September, McCullum was given charge of the ODI and T20 teams as well, but his aggressive style has yet to produce the desired results in limited-overs cricket.

Afghanistan’s victory, driven by grit and resilience, has not only secured their place as a formidable competitor in world cricket but also left England searching for answers after yet another disappointing exit from a major tournament.