Lahore, Feb 26 (NationPress) Afghanistan achieved a remarkable feat by defeating England by eight runs in an exhilarating Group B clash at the Gaddafi Stadium, thus eliminating the former World Champions from the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy. England has now faced six consecutive losses in ODI cricket, marking their worst losing streak since September 2009.

Azmatullah Omarzai set a new record for Afghanistan in ICC ODI tournaments with exceptional bowling figures of 5 for 58, surpassing the previous best held by Mohammad Nabi (4-30 vs Sri Lanka, 2019), Fazalhaq Farooqi (4-34 vs Sri Lanka, 2023), and Shapoor Zadran (4-34 vs Scotland, 2015).

The match witnessed one of the highest aggregate scores in Champions Trophy history, with a total of 642 runs — Afghanistan’s 325/7 followed by England’s 317. This encounter now ranks as the third-highest aggregate match in the tournament’s history, just behind England vs Australia (707 runs, Lahore 2025) and India vs Sri Lanka (643 runs, The Oval 2017).

Azmatullah Omarzai shone brightly, proving his worth as the ICC ODI Player of the Year with a match-winning performance, contributing 41 runs off 31 balls and then dismantling England’s batting order with his five-wicket haul. He turned the tide of the game with his key innings, helping propel Afghanistan to a competitive score of 325.

Once again, Afghanistan showed their prowess in ICC events, with Ibrahim Zadran delivering a remarkable innings of 177, significantly boosting the team's total to 325/7. Although England started their chase positively with Phil Salt hitting the first ball for four, their aggressive strategy quickly unraveled.

Azmatullah Omarzai struck in his initial over, sending Salt back with a delivery that rattled the off bail. The situation worsened for England when Jamie Smith misjudged Mohammad Nabi’s off-spin, leaving them struggling at 30/2 during the powerplay.

Ben Duckett and Joe Root attempted to stabilize the innings, with Duckett reaching 1,000 ODI runs in just 21 innings, a feat achieved by only a few England batters. His luck turned when a leading edge off Fazalhaq Farooqi was dropped by Afghan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi.

After the drinks break, Rashid Khan provided Afghanistan with a pivotal breakthrough by trapping Duckett LBW with a deceptive googly, forcing the review to overturn the original not-out decision. Duckett’s departure at 38 left England reeling at 98/3.

Despite wickets falling around him, Joe Root anchored the innings, forming partnerships with both Duckett and Harry Brook. Brook’s aggressive approach came to an end when he misplayed a short-pitched delivery back to Nabi.

Jos Buttler, facing criticism for his recent form, joined Root and found his rhythm with two massive sixes off Nabi. However, Afghanistan struck again when Omarzai’s short ball led to Buttler’s dismissal for 42, leaving England in a precarious position.

Liam Livingstone struggled to make an impact, falling to a wide delivery from Gulbadin Naib, while Joe Root continued to shine, reaching his 17th ODI century off 98 balls, marking his first since the 2019 World Cup. The tournament saw a record-breaking 11 centuries, surpassing the previous record.

However, just as England looked to build momentum, Omarzai struck once more, dismissing Root for a superb 120. With 39 runs needed off 25 balls, England’s chances rested on Jamie Overton and Jofra Archer.

As the tension mounted, England managed 10 runs in the 47th over. With a Super Over looming, Afghanistan slowed the game down, and Omarzai’s slower ball deceived Overton, leading to his dismissal.

Archer and Adil Rashid fought to keep England in the game, but Archer’s attempt to accelerate resulted in his wicket. With 13 runs needed off the final over, Mark Wood, injured and struggling to run, joined Rashid, but Omarzai kept his cool, sealing England’s fate.

Omarzai concluded a spectacular performance with figures of 5 for 58, dismantling England’s hopes with his incisive bowling spells. His all-round brilliance, complemented by his crucial 41-run contribution with the bat, secured Afghanistan’s place in the tournament while sending England home.

Earlier, Zadran's phenomenal 177 — the highest individual score in Champions Trophy history — propelled Afghanistan to a formidable total.

England made early gains with Archer’s fiery spell, reducing Afghanistan to 37/3, but a vital 103-run partnership between Zadran and skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi steadied the innings. Late contributions from Azmatullah Omarzai and Mohammad Nabi rounded off a strong finish as England’s attack faltered, conceding 113 runs in the last 10 overs.

Brief scores:

Afghanistan 325/7 in 50 overs (Ibrahim Zadran 177, Azmatullah Omarzai 41; Jofra Archer 3-64, Adil Rashid 1-60) defeated England 317 all out in 49.5 overs (Joe Root 120, Jos Buttler 38; Azmatullah Omarzai 5-58, Mohammad Nabi 2-57) by eight runs.