 "Afghanistan had defeated England in the 2023 World Cup by 69 runs the last time the two teams had met in ODIs. Reuters")
After failing to defend a score of 351 against arch-rivals Australia in their opening game of the ICC Champions Trophy, England face Afghanistan with skipper Jos Buttler’s job possibly on the line in Lahore on Wednesday. It’s a must-win clash for Afghanistan too as they had suffered a lopsided defeat at the hands of South Africa last week, and will be on their way home if they fail to win Wednesday’s clash.
Opener Ben Duckett had smashed a career-best 165 off 143 balls after England were invited to bat on Saturday, with the two-time Champions Trophy runners-up punished a second-string Australian attack to post a formidable 351/8. The Englishmen would later reduce Australia to 27/2, and were the overwhelming favourites at the stage.
Champions Trophy 2025: News | Schedule | Results | Points Table
English-born keeper-batter Josh Inglis, however, struck an unbeaten 120 that, together with half-centuries from Alex Carey (69) and Matthew Short (63) as well as Marnus Labuschagne’s 47, helped Australia recover from the early hiccups and reduce the chase to a cakewalk.
As for the Afghanistan-South Africa game on the previous day, Ryan Rickelton’s (103) maiden ODI hundred helped the Proteas post a challenging 315/6 while the pace trio of Kagiso Rabada (3/36), Wiaan Mulder (2/36) and Lungi Ngidi (2/56) ensured the Afghan Atalan were hardly in the contest during their chase. Had it not been for Rahmat Shah’s fighting 90, the Afghans would have suffered an even bigger defeat, which would have made their chances of making it to the semi-finals even more slim.
The upcoming meeting will be the first time the two sides lock horns since Afghanistan defeated England by 69 runs in their 2023 ICC World Cup meeting in New Delhi.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsHere’s everything you need to know about the upcoming contest:
When and where will the Champions Trophy Group B match between Afghanistan and England take place?
The Group B match between Afghanistan and England will be taking place at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Wednesday, 26 February at 2.30 pm IST (2 pm local), with toss taking place 30 minutes before start of play.
Where can I watch the Champions Trophy Group B match between Afghanistan and England LIVE?
Match 8 of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy between Group B’s Afghanistan and England will be telecast live on the Star Sports and Sports18 channels, and streamed live on the JioHotstar website and application.
What is the pitch at the venue expected to be like for the Afghanistan-England match?
Lahore had witnessed a target of 352 being chased down during the England-Australia game on Saturday, and had also been a high-scoring venue in the ODI triangular series involving New Zealand and South Africa besides hosts Pakistan. If those results are anything to go by, then the upcoming contest could also be a high-scoring game.
What will the weather in Karachi be like on the day of the Afghanistan vs England match?
Lahore had witnessed rain ahead of the Afghanistan-England match, and while chances of a second consecutive washout after Tuesday’s Australia-South Africa match in Rawalpindi are unlikely, the weather in the upcoming clash is expected to be cooler with overcast skies possibly aiding the pacers early in the innings.
What is the head-to-head record between Afghanistan and England like in ODIs?
Here’s the head-to-head record between Afghanistan and England in ODIs:
Matches: 3
England won: 2
Afghanistan won: 1
Tied: 0
No Result: 0