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Afghanistan rode on Ibrahim Zadran’s 177 to post a total of 325/7 against England on Wednesday, and then Azmatullah Omarzai’s 5/58 helped them secure a win by 8 runs in Lahore.
Shoaib Akhtar celebrates Afghanistan’s win over England in Champions Trophy 2025. (Picture Credit: X/@ICC)
Former Pakistani fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar is happy to see Afghanistan getting the better of England in the Champions Trophy 2025 match. Hashmatullah Shahidi’s men secured a narrow win by eight runs over the Englishmen on Wednesday, February 26, in the match played at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
Expressing his happiness over Afghanistan’s memorable win at the iconic stadium in Lahore, Akhtar in a video shared by him on X said, “Congratulations, Afghanistan! Very happy for you! I remember telling Gulbadin, ‘Please beat England.’ He replied, ‘Don’t worry, brother, we won’t spare them.’ I told him, ‘You shouldn’t spare Australia either.’ I was in Dubai when I told him, ‘You must win at any cost,’” Akhtar said in a video shared on X (formerly Twitter).
“Now you have the maturity, and you know how to play cricket. You have slayed a big team. Enjoy this day, but do not forget that you are going to play beyond the semi-final,” Akhtar added.
“This team will challenge Australia and onwards now. Very well played,” read the post shared by Akhtar on X.
In the Group B match, Afghanistan rode on opening batter Ibrahim Zadran’s 177 off 146 balls to post a total of 325 runs on the board for the loss of 7 wickets in 50 overs. During his stay at the crease on Wednesday, Zadran hammered 12 fours and six sixes and also broke the record for the highest individual score in Champions Trophy history.
After Zadran helped Afghanistan post a fighting total, ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year 2024 Azmatullah Omarzai picked up five wickets for 58 runs in 9.5 overs to help Hashmatullah Shahidi’s men bowl England out for 317 runs in 49.5 overs. For England, Joe Root scored 120 runs from 111 balls.
The defeat against Afghanistan knocked England out of the Champions Trophy 2025 semifinal race.
Afghanistan are still alive in the contest and will book a place in the semifinal if they beat Australia in the last Group B match in Lahore on Friday. Afghanistan will get knocked out if they lose the match, and if the match ends in a draw, then Australia will qualify for the semifinal, and Afghanistan’s fate will depend on the result of the England-South Africa match on Saturday.
- Location :
Lahore, Pakistan
