Afghanistan national cricket team defeated England cricket team by 8 runs on February 26, 2025, at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, eliminating the reigning ODI World Cup semi-finalists from the Champions Trophy 2025.
Ibrahim Zadran’s magnificent 177 runs – the highest individual score in Champions Trophy history – powered Afghanistan to 325/7 in 50 overs.
England fought back through Joe Root’s brilliant 120, but Azmatullah Omarzai’s devastating 5-wicket haul (5/60) restricted them to 317 all out in 49.5 overs.
This England cricket team vs Afghanistan national cricket team match scorecard captures one of cricket’s greatest upsets.
Afghanistan beating a major Test nation in a knockout tournament situation. It’s showcasing their rise from associate nation to competitive force in world cricket.
Match Summary: Quick Overview
| Team | Runs/Wickets | Overs | Result |
| Afghanistan | 325/7 | 50.0 | Won by 8 runs |
| England | 317 all out | 49.5 | Eliminated |
- Venue: Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, Pakistan
- Date: February 26, 2025 (Day-Night Match)
- Toss: Afghanistan won and elected to bat first
- Player of the Match: Ibrahim Zadran (177 runs)
- Tournament: ICC Champions Trophy 2025, Group B (8th Match)
- Points: Afghanistan 2, England 0
Afghanistan Innings: Zadran’s Record-Breaking 325/7
Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi won the toss and chose to bat first on a good batting surface at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium. What followed was one of the greatest ODI innings ever played by an Afghan batsman.
Early Pressure (Overs 1-10): 60/2
Sediqullah Atal and Rahmanullah Gurbaz opened the batting for Afghanistan. Both started cautiously against England’s new ball attack of Mark Wood and Jamie Overton.
The breakthrough came early when Sediqullah Atal got out for just 8 runs, caught by Ben Duckett off Overton’s bowling. Afghanistan were 18/1 in the 4th over.
Rahmat Shah joined Gurbaz, and they started building a partnership. But England struck again when Gurbaz fell for 18, caught behind off Adil Rashid’s leg-spin. Afghanistan were 47/2 after 8 overs.
Ibrahim Zadran walked in at number 4, and from this moment, the match completely changed. Afghanistan reached 60/2 after the first powerplay – a decent but not explosive start.
Zadran’s Masterclass Begins (Overs 11-30): 152 runs, 1 wicket
Zadran and Rahmat Shah built a crucial partnership, adding 58 runs for the 3rd wicket in 59 balls. Both batsmen rotated strike beautifully and punished loose deliveries.
Rahmat Shah scored 35 off 44 balls with 3 fours before getting caught by Jos Buttler off Liam Livingstone’s bowling. Afghanistan were 118/3 in the 21st over.
Hashmatullah Shahidi joined Zadran, and their partnership was the turning point. They added 94 runs for the 4th wicket in just 89 balls, taking Afghanistan past 200.
Zadran reached his fifty off 61 balls with 4 fours – a patient but important innings. He was accelerating gradually, waiting for the right time to explode.
Afghanistan were 212/3 after 30 overs, setting up perfectly for the final 20 overs assault.
Acceleration Phase (Overs 31-40): 60 runs, 2 wickets
Zadran shifted gears dramatically. He started hitting boundaries regularly, finding gaps through extra cover and mid-wicket with ease.
Shahidi fell for 34 off 44 balls, caught by Phil Salt off Adil Rashid’s bowling. Afghanistan were 237/4 in the 34th over, but Zadran was well set.
Azmatullah Omarzai came in and provided quick support, scoring 19 off 17 balls before getting out. But these quick runs helped Afghanistan maintain momentum.
Zadran reached his century off 113 balls with 7 fours – a magnificent innings under pressure. He was now entering beast mode.
Afghanistan were 272/5 after 40 overs with Zadran on 102. The platform was set for an explosive finish.
Death Overs Explosion (Overs 41-50): 113 runs, 2 wickets
Zadran unleashed carnage in the final 10 overs. Mohammad Nabi joined him, and together they smashed England’s bowling to all parts of the ground.
Zadran brought up his 150 off 139 balls – only the third Afghan batsman to score 150+ in ODIs. But he wasn’t finished.
Their 6th wicket partnership added 76 runs in just 38 balls. Nabi scored 30 off 17 balls with 3 fours and 1 six, providing perfect support.
RELATED ARTICLES
Zadran hit sixes over long-on and mid-wicket, showing remarkable power for a number 4 batsman. His timing was exceptional, and England’s bowlers had no answers.
He finally fell in the 48th over for an unbelievable 177 runs off 147 balls – an innings that included 13 fours and 6 sixes. This was the highest individual score in Champions Trophy history, breaking the previous record of 145.
His dismissal sparked a mini-collapse, but Afghanistan had already reached 322/6. They finished at 325/7 in their 50 overs – a massive total.
Afghanistan Full Batting Scorecard
| Batsman | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | Strike Rate | How Out |
| Sediqullah Atal | 8 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 66.66 | caught |
| Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk) | 18 | 24 | 1 | 1 | 75.00 | caught |
| Rahmat Shah | 35 | 44 | 3 | 0 | 79.54 | caught |
| Ibrahim Zadran | 177 | 147 | 13 | 6 | 120.40 | caught |
| Hashmatullah Shahidi (c) | 34 | 44 | 1 | 0 | 77.27 | caught |
| Azmatullah Omarzai | 19 | 17 | 2 | 0 | 111.76 | caught |
| Mohammad Nabi | 30 | 17 | 3 | 1 | 176.47 | caught |
| Gulbadin Naib | 1* | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00 | not out |
| Rashid Khan | 1* | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00 | not out |
| Extras | 9 | — | — | — | — | (4 lb, 4 wd, 1 nb) |
| Total | 325/7 | 50.0 | 24 | 8 | 6.50 | — |
- Key Partnership: 4th wicket – 94 runs (Zadran 51, Shahidi 34)
- Key Partnership: 6th wicket – 76 runs (Zadran 60, Nabi 16)
England Bowling Analysis
| Bowler | Overs | Runs | Wickets | Economy | Performance |
| Mark Wood | 10 | 58 | 0 | 5.80 | Couldn’t breakthrough |
| Jamie Overton | 10 | 62 | 1 | 6.20 | Got Atal early |
| Adil Rashid | 10 | 66 | 3 | 6.60 | Best bowler |
| Liam Livingstone | 10 | 68 | 1 | 6.80 | Expensive spell |
| Joe Root | 7 | 44 | 1 | 6.28 | Part-time option |
| Sam Curran | 3 | 21 | 0 | 7.00 | Brief spell |
Adil Rashid was England’s best bowler with 3 wickets, but even he couldn’t contain Zadran’s brilliance. England’s death bowling was particularly poor, conceding 113 runs in the final 10 overs.
England Chase: Root’s Heroics Not Enough (317 all out)
England needed 326 to win – a challenging target but certainly achievable on this flat Lahore pitch. Their chase started brightly but collapsed dramatically in the middle and death overs.
Powerplay Setback (Overs 1-10): 60/2
Phil Salt and Ben Duckett opened for England. Salt started aggressively, hitting boundaries off Fazalhaq Farooqi and Naveen-ul-Haq.
But Afghanistan struck early when Duckett fell for 15, caught at slip off Farooqi’s bowling. England were 35/1 in the 6th over.
Salt continued his aggressive approach, racing to 30 off 22 balls with 5 fours before getting out, caught at deep mid-wicket off Naveen’s bowling. England were 54/2.
Joe Root joined Harry Brook, and England reached 60/2 after 10 overs. They were slightly behind the required rate but had 8 wickets in hand.
Root’s Rebuilding Phase (Overs 11-30): 137 runs, 2 wickets
Root and Brook steadied the innings beautifully. They rotated strike against Afghanistan’s spinners Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi, refusing to take unnecessary risks.
Brook scored 35 off 41 balls with 3 fours before Rashid Khan got him caught at long-on. England were 123/3 in the 20th over.
Captain Jos Buttler joined Root, and they built a crucial partnership. Root reached his fifty off 50 balls with 6 fours – a typical Root innings, full of class and proper cricket shots.
Buttler scored 38 off 35 balls, providing the aggression while Root anchored. Their partnership added 74 runs for the 5th wicket in 58 balls.
England were 197/4 after 33 overs with Root on 74. They needed 129 runs from 17 overs with 6 wickets remaining – advantage England.
Middle Order Collapse (Overs 31-40): 62 runs, 3 wickets
This is where Afghanistan’s bowlers, especially Azmatullah Omarzai, turned the match decisively.
Buttler fell for 38, lbw to Omarzai after reviewing the decision unsuccessfully. England were 197/5 in the 33rd over.
Root reached his century off 98 balls with 10 fours – a magnificent innings that kept England in the hunt. He was batting brilliantly, finding boundaries when needed.
But wickets kept falling at the other end. Liam Livingstone scored 25 off 23 balls before getting caught off Omarzai’s bowling. Sam Curran made 7 before falling to Nabi.
England were 259/7 after 40 overs, needing 67 runs from 10 overs. Root was still there on 108, giving England hope.
Death Overs Drama (Overs 41-49.5): 58 runs, 3 wickets
Root tried to take England home single-handedly. Jamie Overton provided excellent support, scoring 27 off 20 balls with 4 fours.
Their 7th wicket partnership added 58 runs in 41 balls, bringing the equation down to 18 runs needed from 12 balls with 3 wickets in hand.
But Omarzai produced a stunning comeback over. He dismissed Root for 120 off 113 balls (caught at long-off), ending England’s main hope. Root’s innings included 11 fours and 2 sixes – a truly world-class knock.
Overton fell immediately after for 27, caught trying to hit a six. Adil Rashid got out for 4.
Mark Wood and Josh Little tried to hit boundaries in the final over bowled by Rashid Khan, but England fell 8 runs short, finishing at 317 all out in 49.5 overs.
England Full Batting Scorecard
| Batsman | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | Strike Rate | How Out |
| Phil Salt (wk) | 30 | 22 | 5 | 0 | 136.36 | caught |
| Ben Duckett | 15 | 20 | 1 | 0 | 75.00 | caught |
| Joe Root | 120 | 113 | 11 | 2 | 106.19 | caught |
| Harry Brook | 35 | 41 | 3 | 0 | 85.36 | caught |
| Jos Buttler (c) | 38 | 35 | 4 | 0 | 108.57 | lbw |
| Liam Livingstone | 25 | 23 | 2 | 1 | 108.69 | caught |
| Sam Curran | 7 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 63.63 | caught |
| Jamie Overton | 27 | 20 | 4 | 0 | 135.00 | caught |
| Adil Rashid | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 57.14 | caught |
| Mark Wood | 7* | 5 | 1 | 0 | 140.00 | not out |
| Josh Little | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | bowled |
| Extras | 11 | — | — | — | — | (5 lb, 4 wd, 2 nb) |
| Total | 317 all out | 49.5 | 31 | 3 | 6.36 | — |
Afghanistan Bowling Excellence
| Bowler | Overs | Runs | Wickets | Economy | Performance |
| Fazalhaq Farooqi | 9.5 | 66 | 1 | 6.71 | Early breakthrough |
| Naveen-ul-Haq | 10 | 70 | 1 | 7.00 | Got Salt |
| Azmatullah Omarzai | 10 | 60 | 5 | 6.00 | Match-winner 5/60 |
| Rashid Khan | 10 | 53 | 2 | 5.30 | Best economy |
| Mohammad Nabi | 10 | 58 | 1 | 5.80 | Crucial middle overs |
Azmatullah Omarzai was the hero with the ball, taking 5 wickets for 60 runs. His dismissals of Buttler, Livingstone, Root, Overton, and Rashid turned the match in Afghanistan’s favor.
Afghanistan won by 8 runs, eliminating England from Champions Trophy 2025
Historical Context: England vs Afghanistan Rivalry
This was the second time Afghanistan has beaten England in major ICC tournaments. Their first victory came in the 2023 ODI World Cup in Delhi, where they won by 69 runs.
Previous Meetings
- Total Matches: 4 ODIs, 1 T20I
- England Wins: 2
- Afghanistan Wins: 2
Most Recent Before This:
- October 15, 2023 (ODI World Cup, Delhi) – Afghanistan won by 69 runs
- June 6, 2023 (ODI, Manchester) – England won by 9 wickets
- September 21, 2024 (T20 World Cup) – England won by 116 runs
Afghanistan’s two victories over England have both come in ICC tournaments, showing they perform best on the biggest stages.
Key Records and Milestones
Ibrahim Zadran’s 177:
- Highest individual score in Champions Trophy history (previous: 145 by Chris Gayle)
- Highest score by an Afghanistan batsman against England
- 3rd highest ODI score by an Afghan batsman ever
Joe Root’s 120:
- His 17th ODI century
- Became only the 3rd England batsman to score 120+ in a losing cause in ICC tournaments
Azmatullah Omarzai’s 5/60:
- First five-wicket haul by an Afghanistan bowler against England
- His career-best ODI bowling figures
Match Significance:
- England eliminated from Champions Trophy 2025 after just 2 matches
- Afghanistan qualified for semifinals with this victory
- First time England eliminated in group stage of Champions Trophy since 2009
FAQs
Who won England vs Afghanistan Champions Trophy 2025 match?
Afghanistan won by 8 runs on February 26, 2025, at Lahore. They scored 325/7 and restricted England to 317 all out in 49.5 overs, eliminating England from the tournament and advancing to the semifinals themselves.
What is the highest score in Champions Trophy history?
Ibrahim Zadran’s 177 runs off 147 balls for Afghanistan against England on February 26, 2025, is the highest individual score in Champions Trophy history, breaking Chris Gayle’s previous record of 145.
How many times has Afghanistan beaten England?
Afghanistan has beaten England 2 times in ODI cricket – both in major ICC tournaments. They won by 69 runs in the 2023 ODI World Cup in Delhi and by 8 runs in the 2025 Champions Trophy in Lahore.
Who took 5 wickets for Afghanistan against England?
Azmatullah Omarzai took 5 wickets for 60 runs in 10 overs against England in the Champions Trophy 2025. His victims included Jos Buttler, Liam Livingstone, Joe Root, Jamie Overton, and Adil Rashid – all crucial dismissals that turned the match.
What was Joe Root’s score against Afghanistan?
Joe Root scored a magnificent 120 runs off 113 balls with 11 fours and 2 sixes. Despite his brilliant century, England fell short by 8 runs. This was Root’s 17th ODI century and one of his finest innings in a losing cause.
RELATED ARTICLES
