Afghanistan eliminates England from Champions Trophy with 8-run win

By Canadian Press on February 26, 2025.

LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — Afghanistan eliminated ragged England from the Champions Trophy with a stunning eight-run victory on Wednesday.

Opening batter Ibrahim Zadran smashed the tournament’s highest-ever individual score of 177 off 146 balls with 12 fours and six sixes and led Afghanistan to 325-7.

England was bowled out for 317 with Joe Root’s 120 off 111 balls going in vain.

Root had kept England in the hunt, but once he gloved Azmat Omarzai (5-58) behind the wickets in the 46th over, Afghanistan kept its nerve to record a memorable win with one ball to spare.

Afghanistan must beat two-time champion Australia in its last Group B match at the same venue Friday to seal its second straight semifinal in an ICC tournament after playing last year’s T20 World Cup playoffs.

England, which lost a high-scoring game to Australia at the same venue, will wrap up its disappointing run in the tournament with the match against semifinal contender South Africa at Karachi on Saturday.

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AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

The Associated Press

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