Lahore (Web Desk): Ibrahim Zadran played a blistering knock of 177 from 146 balls to set a new benchmark in ICC Champions Trophy history, lifting Afghanistan to an imposing total of 325/7 against England in Lahore.
Zadran’s innings, which included 12 boundaries and six towering sixes, came at a rapid strike rate of 121.23.
His performance was a much-needed anchor after a series of early setbacks, guiding Afghanistan out of a perilous position.
The Afghan opener's resilience was key in a 129-run stand with captain Hashmatullah Shahidi, who contributed a steady 40 from 67 balls, as they combined to stabilize the innings following a rocky start.
After the loss of three quick wickets, the Afghanistan middle order provided a late surge.
Azmatullah Omarzai’s cameo of 41 off 31 balls and Mohammad Nabi’s brisk 40 off 24 helped push the total beyond 300, with a significant 59 runs coming in the last five overs.
England’s bowlers, particularly Jofra Archer, who took 3/64, were the primary threat. Archer’s early strikes dismantled Afghanistan’s top order, but the rest of the attack struggled to make further inroads as Zadran and Shahidi took control.
The English bowling unit had trouble breaking Afghanistan's resilience. While Mark Wood and Liam Livingstone remained wicketless, spinners Joe Root and Adil Rashid couldn’t find the breakthrough either.
England’s bowlers had hoped to capitalize on Afghanistan’s early wickets but were unable to stop the partnership between Zadran and Shahidi from flourishing.
Afghanistan had been in a tight spot at 140/4 after losing the skipper, but with Zadran leading the charge, the team steadied and accelerated at the right moments.
England will now need to chase down a challenging target, with their batsmen set to face a spirited Afghanistan side eager to cause an upset in this high-stakes encounter.
Teams
England: Phil Salt, Ben Duckett, Jamie Smith (wk), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler (c), Liam Livingstone, Jamie Overton, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood
Afghanistan: Rahmatullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi
