By Ehsan Qureshi
(Pakistan News & Features Services)
Opener Ibrahim Zadran smashed a record-breaking 177 and all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai bagged five wickets, besides scoring 41, as Afghanistan knocked out England from the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 after a tense and dramatic eight-run victory at Gaddafi Stadium on February 26.
Chasing a challenging 326 for victory, England were bowled out for 317 in thrilling finale with one ball to spare despite a defiant century by Joe Root (120). He played sheet-anchor role but his departure in the 48th over proved decisive in the end.
Omarzai, with his lively medium-pace, bowled intelligently in the crunch situation to snare five wickets for 58 runs in 9.5 overs as the Afghanistan players were not overawed by the magnitude of the event, unlike in the past when they used to falter near the closing stages after competing bravely earlier in the game.
For a change, it was England’s turn to be at the receiving end in this particular match. After suffering their second defeat in as many outings, they have been eliminated from the semifinal race. Afghanistan, however, kept their chances alive as they take on Australia in the final league Group B fixture to decide their fate in the tournament.
Opener Ben Duckett, who had posted a record score of 165 in the previous game against Australia, was unable to reproduce the same kind of heroics but he stood in the middle long enough to revive England’s hope after losing early wickets.
Skipper Jos Butler, under fire for not delivering the goods, was in the process of taking England close to the target in the company of Root.
But his departure opened up the game again and Afghanistan sustained the pressure by bowling in good areas which didn’t allow the much needed acceleration in the final overs.
It was anybody’s game when England needed 90 off the last 10 overs to stay afloat in the tournament.
Runs kept coming but wickets also tumbled at regular intervals to keep the contest alive until the very end. Afghanistan did not choke under pressure to complete one of their most famous victories.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz was bowled by Archer for 6 while Sediqullah Atal (4) was trapped leg before and Rahmat Shah (4) was caught by Adil Rashid.
Opener Zadran, however, made this match the most memorable of his career with his highest-ever score in Champions Trophy. He made a wonderful 177 off 146 balls, having clubbed a dozen boundaries and hoisting half a dozen sixes against the powerful pace-cum-spin attack. His heroics eventually won the day for his team.
Zardan, batting with enormous confidence, shared two century stands to change the complexion of the game. He added 103 for fourth wickets with Omarzai, who hit a breezy 41 off 31 balls with three sixes and a four.
Later, he and veteran all-rounder Muhammad Nabi put on fiery 111 runs in rapid time and their sixth wicket partnership helped Afghanistan reach a very competitive score which could have been higher.
Afghanistan, after hammering more than 100 runs inside nine overs of the final powerplay, appeared poised to extend their total in the vicinity of 340 but, rather surprising, they were undone by part-time spinner Liam Livingstone in the last over of the innings which yielded only a couple of runs and they had to settle with a score 325 for seven in their quota of 50 overs.
The unexpected debacle in the final over during which they lost two wickets, including that of the well-set Zardan, could have cost Afghanistan the game which they narrowly won in the end after probably the closest finish yet in the tournament.
.jpg)
