Zadran smashes record 177 as Afghans stun England
Joe Root’s impressive 120 runs goes in vain
Lahore: Afghanistan attained a famous 8-run win against England in ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Group B match on Wednesday, to keep their semi-final hopes alive, as Joe Root’s impressive 120 goes in vain.
In what was a virtual quarter-final between the sides at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, Afghanistan came out triumphant against Jos Buttler’s men, as England joined Pakistan and Bangladesh in the list of sides officially eliminated from the tournament.
England started off aggressively, as Phil Salt and Ben Duckett made their intentions clear in their quest to chase 326. However, Azmatullah Omarzai dealt the side a huge blow with the dismissal of Phil Salt.
Jamie Smith failed to make his promotion up-the-order count, with him falling for 9 off the very first delivery from Mohammad Nabi.
The likes of Ben Duckett and Harry Brook got off to a start, but failed to make it count with their dismissals on 38 and 25 respectively.
Earlier, Ibrahim Zadran etched his name into Afghanistan’s cricketing history with a monumental 177 off 146 balls, propelling his team to their highest-ever total in an ICC 50-over event. His knock, laced with 12 fours and six maximums, helped Afghanistan post 325/7 .
By hammering the England bowling attack, Zadran became the first Afghanistan batter to score a century in the Champions Trophy and set a new record for the highest individual score in the tournament’s history with 177 runs, surpassing Ben Duckett’s 165 in England’s opening match of the Champions Trophy against Australia in Lahore from the same edition. Zadran’s innings was a masterclass in pacing an ODI knock. After Afghanistan were rattled early and reduced to 37/3, he steadied the innings alongside skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi in a crucial 103-run stand. Once set, he unleashed an array of strokes, dismantling England’s attack with precision. His innings wasn’t just about survival but domination, as he accelerated in the latter stages, ensuring Afghanistan maximized their final overs with a stunning 113-run burst in the last 10. His knock helped Afghanistan surpass their previous highest total in ICC tournaments —291/5 against Australia in the 2023 ODI World Cup.
England made early inroads with Jofra Archer’s fiery new-ball spell, reducing Afghanistan to 37/3, but a crucial 103-run stand between Zadran and skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi steadied the innings.
Zadran and Shahidi spearheaded Afghanistan’s recovery. The duo played cautiously at first, ensuring no further setbacks. Zadran reached his fifty off 65 balls, striking three fours and two sixes. Shahidi provided valuable support, and their partnership brought much-needed stability. Late cameos from Azmatullah Omarzai and Mohammad Nabi powered Afghanistan to a strong finish, as England’s attack struggled, conceding 113 runs in the final 10 overs.
