Despite missing several key players, Australia secured a memorable victory, overshadowing Ben Duckett’s stunning 165-run innings with a blistering 77-ball century from Josh Inglis.
Inglis sealed the win in style, smashing Mark Wood over deep midwicket for six. Joe Root leaped at the boundary in an attempt to take the catch but couldn’t hold on. It was a fitting end to an incredible chase, with Inglis delivering the winning runs in a record-breaking partnership with Alex Carey, leaving England stunned.
On Saturday in Lahore, the defending champions clinched a remarkable 5-wicket win.
The record for the highest team total in Champions Trophy history was rewritten twice in a matter of hours. England, powered by Duckett’s 165, posted 351. But Australia, unfazed, chased it down with 15 balls to spare.
This was the highest successful chase in any ICC 50-over tournament. The previous record belonged to Pakistan, who chased 345 against Sri Lanka in the 2023 World Cup.
Australia had only once before chased a bigger total—back in 2019, when they overhauled India’s 359 in Mohali with four wickets in hand.
Missing key pacers Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Mitchell Starc, coupled with four consecutive ODI losses and a recent batting collapse (bowled out for 107), Australia had plenty of hurdles. But they overcame them all with a historic victory.
Inglis the Hero, Carey the Anchor
Inglis, who made a 90-ball century in his Test debut last month against Sri Lanka, smashed his first ODI hundred in just 77 balls—making it the joint-fastest in Champions Trophy history. His unbeaten 120 off 86 balls, laced with six sixes and eight fours, earned him the Player of the Match award.
If Inglis was the star, Carey was the perfect supporting act. With Australia in trouble at 136/4, he partnered with Inglis to add 146 runs in just 116 balls. Carey scored 69 off 63 balls, including eight fours. Although primarily a wicketkeeper, he took three catches in the outfield, one of which was spectacular.
Their partnership was the highest for the fifth wicket in Australia-England ODIs, breaking a 31-year-old record set by Graham Thorpe and Robin Smith in 1993.
England’s Missed Opportunity
England had a chance to turn the game when Australia needed 104 runs off 73 balls, but Jofra Archer dropped an easy catch to dismiss Carey. The partnership added 34 more runs after that, shifting the momentum firmly in Australia’s favor. Inglis, along with Glenn Maxwell, completed the chase with ease.
Amazingly, this was Australia’s first Champions Trophy win since the 2009 final, where they defeated New Zealand to claim their second consecutive title.
In the 2013 edition, they lost two matches, while another was washed out. In 2017, two of their games ended in no result due to rain, and they lost one to England.
A Rocky Start for Australia
Chasing 352, Australia had a shaky start, losing Travis Head and stand-in captain Steve Smith within the first five overs for just 27 runs.
Matthew Short and Marnus Labuschagne steadied the innings with a 95-run stand for the third wicket. Labuschagne fell for 47 off 45 balls, caught off Adil Rashid. Short carried on, reaching a well-made fifty but departed soon after, scoring 63 off 66 balls.
At that stage, Australia still needed 216 runs in nearly 28 overs. That’s when Inglis and Carey stepped up.
Inglis reached his fifty in 41 balls, while the partnership crossed the 100-run mark in just 78 balls.
Carey had a lucky break when he was dropped on 49 by Archer at deep midwicket. He reached his fifty two balls later.
Eventually, Brydon Carse broke the partnership, dismissing Carey when Australia still needed 70 off 50 balls.
Inglis took charge, smashing two consecutive sixes off Carse to move into the 90s. A six off Archer brought up his century in just 77 balls, equaling Virender Sehwag’s record from the 2002 Champions Trophy.
Maxwell then joined the party, hitting Wood and Archer for boundaries before surviving a no-ball catch.
Finally, in the 48th over, Inglis launched a six to seal the deal for Australia.
Maxwell remained unbeaten on 32 off 15 balls, with two sixes and four fours.
England’s Innings – Duckett Dominates
Earlier, England, opting to bat first, lost Phil Salt early despite a fiery start. Carey took a stunning one-handed catch at mid-off to send him back.
Jamie Smith, promoted to No. 3 for the first time, couldn’t capitalize, falling cheaply to Ben Dwarshuis.
At 43/2, Duckett and Joe Root built England’s innings. Duckett reached his fifty in 49 balls, while Root got there in 56.
Root’s 68 off 78 ended when Adam Zampa trapped him LBW, breaking a 158-run stand.
Duckett carried on, reaching his third ODI century off 95 balls.
England’s middle order failed to fire, with Harry Brook, Jos Buttler, and Liam Livingstone failing to accelerate.
Duckett, however, continued his marathon innings before finally falling in the 48th over for 165 off 143 balls, including 17 fours and three sixes—the first 150+ individual score in Champions Trophy history.
Archer’s late cameo (21 off 10 balls) helped England breach the 350-run mark, but it wasn’t enough.
Match Summary
- England: 351/8 in 50 overs (Salt 10, Duckett 165, Root 68, Buttler 23, Livingstone 14, Archer 21*; Dwarshuis 3/66, Zampa 2/64, Labuschagne 2/41)
- Australia: 356/5 in 47.3 overs (Short 63, Inglis 120*, Carey 69, Maxwell 32*; Wood 1/75, Archer 1/82, Carse 1/69, Rashid 1/47)
Result: Australia won by 5 wickets
Player of the Match: Josh Inglis
