After Ibrahim’s record-breaking 177-run innings, Omarzai’s 5-wicket haul kept Afghanistan’s hopes alive for a semi-final spot in the Champions Trophy, as they defeated England.
Fazalhaq Farooqi’s slower delivery saw Jofra Archer mishit a big shot, which was caught by Mohammad Nabi. That moment seemed to extinguish England’s faint hopes. In the final over, they couldn’t muster a dramatic finish. Afghanistan, led by the brilliant bowling of Azmatullah Omarzai, secured another memorable victory and kept their semi-final dreams intact by sending England out.
Afghanistan triumphed by 8 runs in this crucial Group B match in Lahore on Wednesday, which had become a knockout contest.
Despite losing 3 wickets in the powerplay, Ibrahim Zadran’s record-breaking 177-run innings helped Afghanistan post a total of 325. In reply, despite Joe Root’s stunning century, England was dismissed for 317 with one ball to spare.
This was Afghanistan’s second consecutive win against England. In their previous encounter during the 2023 World Cup in Delhi, Afghanistan had won by 69 runs. In their four meetings in this format, after two wins by England, Afghanistan has now won two.
Ibrahim played an outstanding 177-run knock off 146 balls, which included 12 fours and 6 sixes. He was named the Player of the Match, though it wouldn’t have been surprising if Omarzai had received the award too. The 2024 ICC Men’s ODI Cricketer of the Year, Omarzai, initially came in at number six, hitting 3 sixes and a four in his 31-ball 41-run cameo before taking 5 wickets with the ball.
Omarzai, at 24, became Afghanistan’s first cricketer to take five wickets in an ICC 50-over tournament match.
With 48 runs required in the final five overs, England’s hopes rested on Root, who had just scored a century. However, Omarzai changed the game with two key wickets in the 46th and 47th overs, dismissing Root and Jamie Overton, before taking the final wicket of Adil Rashid in the last over.
Omarzai gave just 4 runs in the final over, making it impossible for England to complete a dramatic comeback.
Root’s excellent knock of 120 runs off 111 balls, including 11 fours and 1 six, wasn’t enough for England. It was his 17th career ODI century, and his first since the 2019 World Cup.
England, after losing to Australia in their first match and now Afghanistan, suffered their first six consecutive ODI defeats since 2009. This marks the second straight group-stage exit for England from ICC 50-over tournaments, following the 2023 World Cup.
Before the match, British politicians had urged the England Board to boycott the game due to Afghanistan’s human rights violations and restrictions on women’s education and cricket. However, the board ultimately decided to go ahead with the match.
In the match itself, England had a poor start in their chase. Phil Salt was bowled by Omarzai in the fourth over, and Jamie Smith failed again, becoming Nabi’s first-ball victim in the seventh over. England was reeling at 30 for 2.
Root and Ben Duckett fought back with a 68-run partnership, but Duckett was dismissed for 38. Root’s partnership with Jos Buttler then provided a glimmer of hope, with the pair adding 83 runs off 91 balls for the fifth wicket. However, Buttler fell to Omarzai’s short ball, and from there, England slowly fell away.
The match began badly for Afghanistan as well. After winning the toss, they lost two wickets early to Archer’s pace. At 37 for 3, Afghanistan was under pressure. Ibrahim and Hashmatullah Shahidi repaired the innings, and Afghanistan reached 100 in the 25th over. Ibrahim’s 50 came off 65 balls, and his partnership with Shahidi produced 103 runs off 124 balls.
Ibrahim’s sixth ODI century came off 106 balls, making him Afghanistan’s first and only player to score centuries in both the ODI World Cup and Champions Trophy. After Omarzai’s departure, Ibrahim and Nabi added 111 runs in just 55 balls for the sixth wicket, pushing Afghanistan’s total past 300.
In the final overs, Nabi’s 40 runs off 24 balls, including 3 sixes and 2 fours, played a key role in Afghanistan’s victory.
Match Summary
- Afghanistan: 325/7 in 50 overs (Gurbaz 6, Ibrahim 177, Sediqullah 4, Rahmat 4, Shahidi 40, Omarzai 41, Nabi 40, Naib 1*, Rashid 1*; Archer 10-0-64-3, Wood 8-0-50-0, Overton 10-0-72-1, Rashid 10-0-60-1, Root 7-0-47-0, Livingstone 5-0-28-2)
- England: 317 all out in 49.5 overs (Salt 12, Duckett 38, Smith 9, Root 120, Brook 25, Buttler 38, Livingstone 10, Overton 32, Archer 14, Rashid 5, Wood 2*; Farooqi 10-0-62-1, Omarzai 9.5-0-58-5, Nabi 8-0-57-2, Rashid 10-0-66-1, Noor 10-0-51-0, Naib 2-0-16-1)
Result: Afghanistan won by 8 runs.
Man of the Match: Ibrahim Zadran.
