Afghanistan shocked the cricketing world by defeating England in the Champions Trophy 2025, keeping their semi-final hopes alive. Despite an earlier loss to South Africa, Afghanistan made a stunning comeback and knocked England out of the tournament. Ibrahim Zadran played a match-winning knock of 177 off 146 balls, helping his team post 325/7. England struggled in response, losing wickets rapidly and falling short by 8 runs despite Joe Root’s 17th ODI century.
- Afghanistan defeated England and kept their semi-final hopes alive.
- Ibrahim Zadran scored a brilliant 177 off 146 balls.
- Joe Root’s century was not enough for England to survive.
- Afghanistan now faces Australia in a crucial virtual knockout match.
Will Afghanistan Drop Out-of-Form Gurbaz?
Rahmanullah Gurbaz has struggled in the Champions Trophy 2025, scoring just 16 runs in 2 matches at an average of 8.00. His performance against South Africa and England was below par, as he failed to handle pace and bounce effectively. With a critical match against Australia, Afghanistan might consider a change at the top.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s Performance in Champions Trophy 2025
| Criterion | Data |
|---|---|
| Matches | 2 |
| Runs | 16 |
| Average | 8.00 |
Who Can Replace Gurbaz?
The only available replacement is Ikram Alikhil, who has played 32 ODIs, scoring 384 runs at a strike rate of 67.73. However, his ODI record is not impressive.
Ikram Alikhil’s ODI Stats
Afghanistan is known for backing key players, especially in crucial matches. Given the importance of this encounter, it is highly unlikely that the team will drop Gurbaz. He is expected to retain his spot in the playing XI.
Will There Be Any Other Changes?
Fazalhaq Farooqi, who carried a minor injury during the match against England, looked fit towards the end and delivered a strong bowling performance. Unless there are last-minute concerns, Afghanistan is expected to stick with the same XI.
Afghanistan’s Probable XI vs Australia
Afghanistan will rely on Zadran, Rashid Khan, and Nabi to deliver strong performances against Australia. With a semi-final spot at stake, the team will need to bring their A-game in this crucial fixture.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi
Check out the Champions Trophy Stats
