Afghanistan’s Ibrahim Zadran delivered a batting masterclass, scoring 177 off 146 balls to propel his team to an imposing 325/7 against England in a must-win ICC Champions Trophy match at the Gaddafi Stadium Lahore on Wednesday.
Afghanistan won the toss and opted to bat first against England. Jofra Archer made an immediate impact with the new ball, striking three times within the powerplay to push Afghanistan onto the back foot.
Despite the early setbacks, Ibrahim Zadran delivered a spectacular innings, standing firm against England’s pace attack. He reached his century in 106 balls and accelerated in the final 10 overs, taking the attack to the English bowlers. Zadran’s milestone makes him the first Afghan batter to score a century in both the ODI World Cup and the Champions Trophy.
With both teams facing elimination, the match is a high-stakes battle, where only the winner will keep their tournament hopes alive.
England
Playing XI: Philip Salt, Ben Duckett, Jamie Smith(w), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler(c), Liam Livingstone, Jofra Archer, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood
Afghanistan
Playing XI: Rahmanullah Gurbaz(w), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi(c), Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi
