Afghanistan vs England, 8th Match, Group B at Lahore, Champions Trophy, Feb 26 2025 – Live Cricket Score

England vs Afghanistan Live Blog: Afghanistan Wins! 🎉

What a match! Afghanistan has done it! They win by 8 runs! 🏏✨

Azmatullah Omarzai stays calm under pressure. Rashid Khan hits the ball, but it goes straight to the fielder at long-off. That’s it! Afghanistan celebrates a big victory! 🎊

Omarzai was amazing today! He scored 41 runs from 31 balls and took 5 wickets for 58 runs. What a performance! 💪🔥

This win keeps Afghanistan’s dream alive in the Champions Trophy! But for England, it’s over. They are going home. Just 18 months ago, England was the world champion in both 50-over and 20-over cricket. But now, their form has dropped, and they are out! 😲

Afghanistan’s fans will be so happy tonight! 🎉🇦🇫

Root is Out! 😲🏏
Oh no! Joe Root is out! Afghanistan’s Azmatullah Omarzai does it again! He bowls a tricky short ball, and Root has no space to hit it properly. He tries to play a shot over the wicketkeeper, but the ball is too close to his body. It touches his glove and goes straight to the keeper, Gurbaz! England now needs 39 runs from 25 balls. Can Jamie Overton and Jofra Archer save the match?

A New Record in Cricket! 🏆
Wow! There have been 11 centuries (100 runs in one innings) in this Champions Trophy 2025! This is more than any other time in the tournament’s history. The last record was 10 centuries in 2002 and 2017.

Joe Root – A Cricket Star! ⭐🏏
Joe Root is such a great batsman! Many people say young players should watch his batting to learn how to play. He makes the game look so easy and beautiful!

Root’s 100 Runs! 🎉🏏
Joe Root scores his 17th century (100 runs) in One Day Internationals (ODIs)! He reaches 100 runs in 98 balls with a soft shot to the leg side. He doesn’t celebrate too much, just a small smile. This is his first ODI century since June 2019, when he helped England win the World Cup! But the job is not done yet—England still needs more runs!

West Indies vs. England – Match Result! 🌍🏏
🏴 West Indies: 212 runs
🏴 England: 213/2 in 33.1 overs

🏆 England wins by 8 wickets with 101 balls left! 🎉

Gulbadin’s Power! 💪🏏
Gulbadin Naib shows his strength! He takes an important wicket! Liam Livingstone is out! Now England’s hopes rest on Joe Root. England still needs 90 runs from 10 overs with only 4 wickets left. Can they do it?

Gulbadin Strikes Again! ⚡🏏
Commentator Dale Steyn calls Gulbadin “the golden arm”! He was quiet in this match before, but now he takes a big wicket in just his fourth ball! Liam Livingstone tries to hit a strong shot, but the ball hits the edge of his bat and goes to the wicketkeeper, Gurbaz. Livingstone is out again without making a big score. Now, it’s all up to Joe Root!

Livingstone’s Struggle in Big Matches! 🤔🏏
Liam Livingstone has played 20 innings in big ICC tournaments like the T20 World Cups, the ODI World Cup, and now the Champions Trophy. But his average score is only 15.11! Can he improve in the future?

😲 Buttler Is Out!

Jos Buttler, England’s captain, was trying to play carefully at first. Then, he started hitting the ball well. But oh no! He tried to hit a short ball from Azmat, and it went high in the air! Rahmat Shah caught it easily. That means England lost an important player! Now, Liam Livingstone comes in to bat. England must be careful because they don’t have many strong batters left.

💪 Buttler and Root Fight Back!

England started well, but Afghanistan made a strong finish to their innings. England’s hopes are now with Buttler and Joe Root. Buttler was struggling at first, but then he hit two big sixes! That gave him confidence. Meanwhile, Root is playing very well and getting close to scoring 100 runs. But Afghanistan is missing one of their best bowlers, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, who is injured. Will England take advantage of this?

🔥 Buttler’s Risky Batting – Root Stays Strong!

Buttler looks tense because this match is very important for him as a captain. If England loses, it could be bad news for him. He was lucky when he was almost out at 9 runs, but the umpire didn’t give it out. Then, finally, he hit a six! Maybe now he will feel more confident. Root is still playing smoothly, and England needs less than 150 runs to win with 20 overs left.

🎉 Root Scores Fifty!

Joe Root reaches 50 runs from 50 balls! He is playing very well, but England still has a long way to go. If Root gets out now, it will be very hard for England to win. Right now, England only has a 14% chance to win.

⚡ Nabi Takes Another Wicket!

Harry Brook was batting well and looked comfortable. He even hit some beautiful fours. But then, Afghanistan’s experienced bowler, Mohammad Nabi, tricked him! Brook made a bad shot, and the ball went straight to the bowler’s hands! England now needs their captain, Buttler, to save them. They still need 200 runs! Can Root and Buttler do it?

🏏 Afghanistan Uses DRS to Get Duckett Out!

Ben Duckett was lucky earlier when he was almost out, but now his luck is over! Rashid Khan bowled a tricky ball, and it hit Duckett’s pads. The umpire thought it was not out, but Afghanistan reviewed the decision. The big screen showed the ball was hitting the stumps—OUT! Duckett is gone, and Afghanistan is very happy.

🤯 A Big Drop – Will Afghanistan Regret It?

Before getting out, Duckett and Root were playing very well together. They made a strong 50-run partnership, just like they did in the last match against Australia. England still had hope. But then—oh no! Duckett hit the ball in the air, and the Afghan fielder had an easy chance to catch it… but he dropped it! The Afghan fans couldn’t believe it! Will this mistake help England win?

Nabi Takes a Wicket on His First Ball! 🎯

Wow! Mohammad Nabi takes a wicket with his very first ball! England is already struggling, and now things are getting worse for them. Jamie Smith sees Nabi’s slow, spinning ball and tries to hit it hard. But Nabi is too smart! He tricks Smith, and the ball touches the edge of his bat. It flies straight to Azmat at backward point—OUT! England is now 30 for 2, and Duckett and Joe Root have a lot of work to do.

Did you know? This is the third time in a row that Nabi has taken a wicket with the first ball he bowled in an ODI! Not bad for a 40-year-old! 👏🔥

Azmatullah Omarzai Strikes Early! 💥

Oh no, England loses another wicket! Phil Salt tries to hit a big shot, but the ball is too fast and low. It goes straight to the stumps and knocks the bail off! Azmatullah Omarzai celebrates—Afghanistan has struck early in the match! England is in trouble now.

Jamie Smith walks in to bat at number 3, but there is a lot of pressure on him. Can he save England? Let’s see! 🤔🏏

Ben Duckett Reaches 1000 Runs in ODI Cricket! 🎉

Ben Duckett reaches a big milestone—1000 runs in ODI cricket! He needed just four runs to get there, and he does it in style, hitting a beautiful shot through the covers off Azmatullah Omarzai.

Duckett is now one of the fastest England players to reach 1000 runs, joining stars like Kevin Pietersen and Dawid Malan. England’s chase continues, but can they recover from the early wickets? Let’s find out! ⏳🏏

Afghanistan Inning Scorecard

Ibrahim Zadran Shines as England Struggles!

Wow! Ibrahim Zadran is playing an amazing innings today! He has scored 150 runs already, and he is not stopping. He reached his 100 runs in just 106 balls at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. Just a few days ago, England’s Ben Duckett made 165 runs against Australia, but now Zadran might break that record!

But things are not looking good for England. First, their fast bowler Mark Wood got injured and had to leave the field because of knee pain. And now, Liam Livingstone is also hurt! He was trying to stop the ball when he felt pain in his knee. He tried to stay on the field for one more ball but couldn’t continue. This is bad news for England because Livingstone is an important player—he can both bowl and bat. And with Afghanistan scoring so many runs, England will need all the help they can get!

Now, Joe Root is trying to bowl, but Mohammad Nabi is ready for him! First ball—BOOM! Six runs! Second ball—BOOM! Another six! Root tries to bowl outside the off-stump to be safe, but Ben Duckett makes a mistake, and the ball goes for four more runs! England looks like they are falling apart!

And now, more trouble for England! Mark Wood is struggling again. He is still feeling pain in his knee, but because England already has fewer bowlers, he decides to finish his eighth over before leaving the field again. This time, he may not come back at all.

Meanwhile, Ibrahim Zadran is in top form! He faces Jofra Archer and—SMASH! Six runs over long-on! Then, with smart shots, he gets three more boundaries. Afghanistan now has 250 runs, and the pressure is on England! Afghanistan has strong spin bowlers, and in the past, they have troubled England in big tournaments. Can England fight back, or will Afghanistan take control?

Overton Takes a Wicket!

Jamie Overton bowls a smart delivery, and Omarzai is out! Omarzai tries to hit the ball high, but he doesn’t hit it properly. The ball goes to Tom Banton, who catches it near the boundary. Omarzai scores 41 runs before getting out. Afghanistan has now scored 190 runs with 10 overs left. England brings back Adil Rashid to bowl again.

Ibrahim Zadran Scores a Century!

Ibrahim Zadran takes off his helmet and lifts his hands to celebrate! He has scored 100 runs in just 106 balls, hitting six fours and three sixes. He plays a small shot to get one run and reach this big milestone. Afghanistan was struggling at the start with only 37 runs for 3 wickets, but now they are 190 for 4 after 37 overs. Omarzai is also playing well, hitting a six and a four in one over, helping Afghanistan reach 200 runs. England is finding it hard to stop them!

Mark Wood is Back!

Mark Wood, the fast bowler, had to leave the field earlier because of a knee injury. But now, after 38 minutes, he is back! His first ball is a little slow (133 km/h), but soon he gets faster, reaching 146 km/h. He is trying his best even though he still looks a little hurt. England hopes he can stop Afghanistan from scoring too many runs.

Adil Rashid Takes an Important Wicket!

England needs a wicket, and Adil Rashid does the job! He bowls a tricky ball to Hashmatullah, who tries to hit it but misses. The ball hits his leg and then crashes into the stumps. Hashmatullah is out for 40 runs. Afghanistan now has 140 runs for 4 wickets. The match is getting exciting!

Afghanistan Attacks Overton!

Afghanistan is now playing aggressively! In one over, they score 16 runs from Overton’s bowling. Ibrahim Zadran hits a strong shot straight down the ground for four runs. Then, he smashes a huge six over long-off! With this, Afghanistan reaches 300 runs. England is under pressure!

Ibrahim Zadran Reaches 50 Runs!

Ibrahim Zadran reaches his fifty (50 runs) with a quick shot. He is not happy because he wanted a boundary (four runs), but he has still played very well. He has been Afghanistan’s best batter so far. Hashmatullah is also playing carefully, and together, they bring up 100 runs for the team. Afghanistan still needs to score faster to reach a big total!

England Keeps It Tight!

England is trying to stop Afghanistan from scoring too fast. Their bowlers are doing a good job by not giving too many runs. Only four fours and two sixes have been hit in the first 20 overs, which is very low for a big match like this.

Mark Wood, who was injured, is now back on the field. He has been resting for 38 minutes, so he cannot bowl immediately, but England hopes he can continue. Meanwhile, Afghanistan’s batters are still fighting hard!

Mark Wood’s Injury Scare

Oh no! Mark Wood gets hurt while bowling. His left knee bends in a bad way, and he falls down in pain. He tries to continue but looks very uncomfortable. After finishing his over, he walks off the field for treatment.

This is bad news for England because they already have few bowling options. But Jofra Archer gives them some hope by taking a wicket! He bowls a fast ball, and Rahmat Shah tries to hit it but edges it to Adil Rashid, who catches it. Rahmat Shah, who scored 90 runs in the last match, is out for just 4 runs this time!

Jofra Archer gets his 50th ODI wicket… and then his 51st right away! 🎉🏏

It took him almost six years to reach this number, which is surprising because, back in 2019, he already had 23 wickets and even won the World Cup with England! But injuries and fewer ODI matches made his journey slower. Still, this is a big achievement!

Fun fact: Archer is actually the fastest English bowler to take 50 wickets in ODIs! He did it in just 30 matches, breaking James Anderson’s old record of 31 matches.

And he doesn’t stop there! Right after his 50th wicket, he takes his 51st. Sediqullah Atal hits his first ball for four runs, but Archer quickly finds his rhythm. Just two balls later, he delivers a perfect ball that would have hit the stumps—if Atal’s pad hadn’t gotten in the way! 🚀🔥

Afghanistan vs England – Exciting Start!

The match has started in Lahore, and Afghanistan is batting first! But England’s fast bowlers, Jofra Archer and Mark Wood, are making it very hard for them. They are bowling very fast and very accurately.

For the first four overs, Afghanistan’s batters, Ibrahim Zadran and Rahmanullah Gurbaz, are being very careful. They are trying to stay on the pitch, but they can’t hit any big shots. The ball is moving a little because the sky is cloudy, which makes it harder to bat.

And then… WICKET! 🎉

At the start of the fifth over, Jofra Archer bowls a fast inswinger (a ball that moves towards the batter). Gurbaz tries to hit it, but he misses, and the ball hits his own stumps! OUT! 😲

England is happy because they got a very important batter out. Afghanistan now has to be very careful!

Before the Match – Toss and Teams

Before the match, the two captains, Hashmatullah Shahidi (Afghanistan) and Jos Buttler (England), shook hands for the toss. Afghanistan won the toss and decided to bat first.

Some people thought Afghanistan might choose to bowl first because they have very good spin bowlers. But they decided to bat, just like they did in a successful match 18 months ago in Delhi.

The weather is cool and cloudy in Lahore, and later in the evening, there might be some dew, which could make bowling and fielding tricky.

Playing XI (Teams for Today’s Match)

🏏 England’s Team:

1. Phil Salt
2. Ben Duckett
3. Jamie Smith (wk)
4. Joe Root
5. Harry Brook
6. Jos Buttler (captain)
7. Liam Livingstone
8. Jamie Overton
9. Jofra Archer
10. Adil Rashid
11. Mark Wood

🏏 Afghanistan’s Team:

1. Ibrahim Zadran
2. Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk)
3. Sediqullah Atal
4. Rahmat Shah
5. Hashmatullah Shahidi (captain)
6. Azmatullah Omarzai
7. Mohammad Nabi
8. Gulbadin Naib
9. Rashid Khan
10. Noor Ahmad
11. Fazalhaq Farooqi

The match is set, and England has started strong! Can Afghanistan fight back? Let’s find out! 🔥🏏

England, Afghanistan put politics aside with tournament on the line

This is a very important cricket match! Afghanistan and England will play against each other in Lahore. Both teams have not won any matches in this tournament yet. This means that whoever loses this game will be out of the tournament! So, both teams must try their best to win.

Afghanistan’s Big Win in 2023

In 2023, Afghanistan surprised everyone by defeating England in the World Cup! That match showed that England’s team was not as strong as before. Now, after 18 months, England is still struggling. In their last match, they scored 351 runs, which is a big number! But they still lost to Australia. Even though Ben Duckett made 165 runs, England couldn’t win.

Afghanistan’s Last Match

Afghanistan played against South Africa in Karachi but lost by 107 runs. Their batting was weak, and they lost many wickets early. Rahmat Shah played very well and made 90 runs, but most of the other players did not score much. Rashid Khan, who usually plays well, only made 18 runs. Afghanistan has won big matches before, and they believe they can do better this time!

Players to Watch!

England’s fast bowler, Mark Wood, is very quick! He bowled at more than 150 km/h against Australia and took an important wicket. But later in the match, the Australian batsmen played easily against him. Now, he must improve to help his team win.

For Afghanistan, Rashid Khan is the player to watch! He is one of the best spin bowlers in the world. The last time he played against England, he took three wickets and helped Afghanistan win. He will try to do the same in this match!

Team New

England will have a new player, Jamie Overton, replacing Brydon Carse, who got injured. Their team has strong batsmen and fast bowlers.

Afghanistan may play with the same team that lost to South Africa. Their captain, Hashmatullah Shahidi, believes that England is weak against spin bowling. So, Afghanistan’s spin bowlers—Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi, and Noor Ahmad—will try to trouble the England batsmen.

The Pitch and Weather

The pitch in Lahore is good for batting. England already played one match here and saw that scoring runs is easy. The weather is cooler, and there was rain a day before the match. If the clouds stay, it might help England’s fast bowlers.

Interesting Facts!

• England has lost five matches in a row. The last time this happened, they still reached the semi-finals of the Champions Trophy in 2009!
• Rahmat Shah needs 41 more runs to become the first Afghanistan player to reach 4000 ODI runs.
• Rashid Khan needs two more wickets to reach 200 ODI wickets, the most by any Afghanistan bowler.
• Ben Duckett needs only four more runs to reach 1000 runs in ODI cricket.

What the Captains Say

Afghanistan’s captain, Hashmatullah Shahidi, said, “We are players, and we focus on the game. We don’t worry about things outside cricket.”

England’s captain, Jos Buttler, said, “As a captain, I want to win games for my team. We have not been winning, but we are thinking positive and focusing on how to play better.”

This match will be very exciting! Who do you think will win—Afghanistan or England?