Lahore, Feb 25 (NationPress) England and Afghanistan are set to clash in a crucial Group B match on Wednesday at Gaddafi Stadium, with both teams aiming for their first victory in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. After suffering defeats in their opening matches, another loss could critically impact their chances of reaching the knockout stage, turning this encounter into a true do-or-die situation.

England entered the tournament with great expectations but faced an unexpected setback in their first game against Australia. Despite Ben Duckett’s remarkable innings of 165 runs, the team failed to defend a total of 352, revealing significant weaknesses in their bowling.

To make matters worse, pacer Brydon Carse has been sidelined due to injury, possibly leading to the introduction of young leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed to strengthen the spin attack alongside Adil Rashid.

On the flip side, Afghanistan was outperformed by South Africa in their initial match. Chasing a target of 316 in Karachi, they fell short at 208, despite a commendable 90-run performance from Rahmat Shah. The Afghan team will aim to move past this defeat and draw motivation from their historic win over England in the 2023 World Cup, where they shocked everyone with a 69-run victory.

Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore has already hosted several high-scoring matches in this tournament, with the Australia-England clash being a standout. The pitch is anticipated to provide an excellent batting surface once again, meaning bowlers will need to be at their very best to keep the runs in check.

The weather is looking promising, with clear skies and temperatures in the 20s, ensuring uninterrupted play. Given these conditions, a score exceeding 320 is a strong possibility, emphasizing the need for both teams to devise effective bowling strategies.

Afghanistan’s explosive opener Gurbaz will face a significant challenge against England’s pace spearhead. If Gurbaz can withstand Archer’s early assault, Afghanistan might establish a competitive total.

Fresh from his record-breaking 165, Duckett will again be a critical figure for England. However, left-arm pacer Farooqi will be eager to make early breakthroughs and dismiss the southpaw before he settles.

England’s captain has previously struggled against quality leg-spin, and Rashid Khan will look to exploit this weakness. Buttler’s ability to tackle Rashid’s variations could be pivotal for England’s success during the middle overs.

Historically, England and Afghanistan have met three times in ODIs, all within the last three ICC World Cups. England triumphed in the 2015 and 2019 matches with victories of nine wickets and 150 runs, respectively. However, Afghanistan turned the tide in 2023 with a stunning 69-run win.

When: February 26, Wednesday

Where: Gaddafi Stadium

Time: The match is set to commence at 2:30 pm IST, with the toss taking place at 2 pm.

Broadcast details: Fans can watch the match on Star Sports Network.

Live Streaming: The match will also be live-streamed on JioHotstar.

Squads:

Afghanistan: Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Ikram Alikhil, Gulbadin Naib, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Nangyal Kharoti, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Farid Malik, Naveed Zadran. Reserves: Darwish Rasooli, Bilal Sami

England: Jos Buttler (c), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Tom Banton, Harry Brook, Rehan Ahmed, Ben Duckett, Jamie Overton, Jamie Smith, Liam Livingstone, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Saqib Mahmood, Phil Salt, Mark Wood