The Aryavarth Express
Lahore: Afghanistan upsets England as they clinch victory by 8 runs. England needed 326 in their fifty overs but fell short, getting bowled out for 317 in 49.5 overs, resulting in their elimination from the ICC Champions Trophy.
Joe Root scored his first ODI century in six years. Chasing 326, Root’s brilliant 120 came off 111 deliveries, featuring 11 boundaries and one six, but it was not enough to secure victory.
Azmatullah Omarzai struck to dismiss a well-settled England batter. This was Omarzai’s third wicket of the match.
Earlier, Afghanistan opener Ibrahim Zadran scripted history with a sensational knock of 177 off 146 deliveries, the highest individual score in ICC Champions Trophy history, surpassing England’s Ben Duckett’s 165. His record-breaking innings helped Afghanistan post a formidable 325/7 in 50 overs against England in their Group B clash in Lahore on Wednesday.
Zadran not only became the first Afghan player to score a century in the ICC Champions Trophy but also the first Afghan batter to score a century in any ICC event, marking a monumental moment for his nation in global cricket.
