Afghanistan has scripted yet another historic moment in ICC tournaments, knocking England out of the Champions Trophy 2025 with a thrilling 8-run victory. Ibrahim Zadran’s heroic 177 and Azmatullah Omarzai’s all-round brilliance (5/58 & crucial runs) proved decisive in a high-scoring clash at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore.
England, the 2019 World Cup champions, are once again left reeling after failing to chase 326, despite Joe Root’s valiant century. With this loss, England is officially eliminated, joining Pakistan and Bangladesh on the sidelines. The defending champions have now suffered their sixth consecutive ODI defeat, echoing their struggles from pre-2015.
Afghanistan’s Fairytale Continues
Afghanistan has now beaten top-tier teams in consecutive ICC events, reinforcing their reputation as a serious force. With this win, they set up a high-stakes clash against Australia, which will decide a semi-final berth.
🗣 Hashmatullah Shahidi (Afghanistan Captain): “Our nation will be happy with this win. We are improving day by day. Zadran played one of the best ODI knocks I’ve seen. The game against Australia will be crucial.”
🗣 Jos Buttler (England Captain): “Disappointing to exit early. We had our chances but couldn’t capitalize. Root played an unbelievable innings, but we needed someone to stay till the end.”
🗣 Ibrahim Zadran (Player of the Match): “This means a lot. I trusted my ability and played proper cricketing shots. We’ll now focus on playing our best against Australia.”
🔹 Key Stats from the Match
📌 Best figures for Afghanistan in ICC ODI tournaments
🔸 5/58 – Azmatullah Omarzai vs ENG, Lahore, 2025
🔸 4/30 – Mohd Nabi vs SL, Cardiff, 2019
🔸 4/34 – Fazalhaq Farooqi vs SL, Pune, 2023
📌 Highest aggregate in Champions Trophy history
🔸 707 – Eng (351/8) vs Aus (356/5), Lahore 2025
🔸 642 – Afg (325/7) vs Eng (317), Lahore 2025
With England out, only five teams remain in contention. Can Afghanistan continue their dream run against Australia? The cricketing world will be watching!
Also Read: New Zealand Crushes Bangladesh, Pakistan Knocked Out of ICC Champions Trophy 2025
Follow Vibe Sutra
