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Ayushi Singh

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Afghanistan

ICC Champions Trophy: 3 turning points in the thrilling England vs Afghanistan clash

Credits: ICC/X

Group A encounters fared fairly calmly as New Zealand and India earned seamless qualifications to the semi-finals. However, Group B action brought the thrill to the ICC Champions Trophy. Stakes charted up to an all-time high after the Australia vs South Africa clash in Rawalpindi was abandoned. The following England vs Afghanistan match turned into a virtual knockout as South Africa and Australia sat with three points each in the group standings. England and Afghanistan, meanwhile, staged the ultimate battle as they vied for the chance to remain alive in the Champions Trophy. In a nail-biting finish, Afghanistan claimed an 8-run victory over the Three Lions to kick Jos Buttler and his men out of semi-final contention.

England vs Afghanistan: The moments that led to the thrilling victory in the ICC Champions Trophy virtual knockout

England had come to the ICC Champions Trophy on the back of a 0-3 whitewash against India. Despite the contrasting result, the team, especially Ben Duckett, remained confident in their ability. Duckett went as far as predicting an India vs England clash in the Champions Trophy final, where the Three Lions would beat the Men in Blue. However, at the end of the day, it’s all just farce if one fails to follow the words with substance. The chances for Duckett's words to come true were low, as indicated by the dismal run of England in white-ball cricket since the 2023 ODI World Cup. However, the blow came amplified as England was knocked out at the hands of Afghanistan, despite snatching an ideal start in the ICC Champions Trophy clash.

  • The record-breaking century by Ibrahim Zadran

Jofra Archer, under fire for his disappointing performances against India and Australia in the campaign opener, managed redemption against Afghanistan. The English seamer shattered Afghanistan's top order early into the match after Afghanistan opted to bat first in Rawalpindi. Archer cleared Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Sediqullah Atal, and Rahmat Shah in quick succession, at the paltry scores of 6, 4, and 4, respectively, reducing Afghanistan to 37 for 3. However, one of the top-order prospects, Ibrahim Zadran, absorbed the early shocks to see off the first innings. While Zadran received much-needed support from skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi and Azmatullah Omarzai, his heroics stood out.

The opening batter, coming off an injury-marred absence, smashed a record-breaking 177 off 146 balls. In his quest to lead Afghanistan to a fighting total, Ibrahim Zadran set the record for the highest individual score in ICC Champions Trophy history. The knock, laden with 12 fours and 6 sixes, propelled Afghanistan to a 325-run total, a defense that proved impenetrable for the English men. Moreover, Zadran now stands with the highest individual score for Afghanistan in the format.

  • Joe Root's fighting century in the chase

A break in the game, staged by Joe Root, seemed to send Afghanistan packing out of the ICC Champions Trophy despite Zadran's efforts. The English batter scored a century, his first in ODIs in six years, after the top order of England fell cheaply. Ben Duckett, who knocked 165 in the clash against Australia, failed against Rashid Khan after Phil Salt and Jamie Smith departed cheaply off Azmatullah Omarzai and Mohammad Nabi. However, as Afghanistan gained a semblance of dominance, Joe Root settled firmly.

However, foretelling England's eventual fate, Root received little to no support from skipper Jos Buttler or Liam Livingstone. Root's knock of 120 off 111, which threatened Afghanistan, fell short in the absence of a reliable partner. While Jamie Overton seemed to stabilize his feet, Root failed in his quest to see the game off against Omarzai's brilliance.

  • Match-winning spell by Azmatullah Omarzai

While Ibrahim Zadran scripted the first innings brilliance, it was Azmatullah Omarzai with his career-best figures who sealed the victory. Omarzai returned figures of 5 for 58 in a spell where he dismissed Phil Salt, Joe Root, Jos Buttler, and Jamie Overton, delivering the much-needed scalps to break the partnerships. Even when Jofra Archer and Overton threatened a late revival for England, it was Azmatullah Omarzai with the breakthrough. While Farooqi claimed Archer, the thrill came to a full circle as Azmatullah dismissed Adil Rashid as the last remaining English prospect, with Ibrahim Zadran taking the winning catch.

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