The match between the Afghanistan National Cricket Team vs England Cricket Team was one of the most exciting contests in recent ODI cricket. Both teams displayed strong skills, smart strategies, and excellent individual performances. Afghanistan impressed with a solid batting performance led by a remarkable century, while England responded with a competitive chase. The match remained close until the final overs, where pressure and key wickets decided the result. This detailed scorecard and analysis provides complete information about batting, bowling, partnerships, fall of wickets, and match flow in a clear and easy-to-understand format.
Match Details
| Detail | Information |
| Match | Afghanistan vs England |
| Format | ODI |
| Tournament | ICC Champions Trophy |
| Venue | Lahore |
| Toss | Afghanistan won the toss |
| Decision | Bat first |
| Result | Afghanistan won by 8 runs |
| Player of the Match | Ibrahim Zadran |
Afghanistan Innings – 325/7 (50 Overs)
Batting Scorecard

| Batsman | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | Strike Rate |
| Rahmanullah Gurbaz | 24 | 28 | 3 | 0 | 85.71 |
| Ibrahim Zadran | 177 | 146 | 12 | 6 | 121.23 |
| Rahmat Shah | 30 | 45 | 2 | 1 | 66.67 |
| Hashmatullah Shahidi | 40 | 50 | 3 | 0 | 80.00 |
| Azmatullah Omarzai | 25 | 20 | 2 | 1 | 125.00 |
| Mohammad Nabi | 12 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 120.00 |
| Extras | 17 | — | — | — | — |
| Total | 325/7 | 50 Overs |
England Bowling
| Bowler | Overs | Runs | Wickets | Economy |
| Mark Wood | 10 | 65 | 2 | 6.50 |
| Chris Woakes | 9 | 58 | 1 | 6.44 |
| Adil Rashid | 10 | 70 | 1 | 7.00 |
| Sam Curran | 8 | 50 | 1 | 6.25 |
| Others | 13 | 82 | 2 | — |
Fall of Wickets – Afghanistan
| Wicket | Score | Batsman | Over |
| 1st | 45 | Gurbaz | 7.2 |
| 2nd | 110 | Rahmat Shah | 18.5 |
| 3rd | 190 | Shahidi | 32.4 |
| 4th | 250 | Nabi | 41.2 |
| 5th | 290 | Omarzai | 45.5 |
| 6th | 310 | Others | 48.3 |
| 7th | 325 | Others | 50.0 |
Key Partnerships – Afghanistan
| Wicket | Runs | Players |
| 2nd | 65 | Zadran & Rahmat |
| 3rd | 80 | Zadran & Shahidi |
| 5th | 40 | Zadran & Omarzai |
Afghanistan Innings Analysis
Powerplay (Overs 1–10)
Afghanistan began cautiously. Rahmanullah Gurbaz played a few attacking shots but lost his wicket early. The team focused on building a base without taking too many risks.
Middle Overs (11–40)
This phase completely belonged to Ibrahim Zadran. He played with great patience and control. He rotated strike well and punished loose deliveries.
| Aspect | Performance |
| Run Rate | Stable |
| Wickets Lost | Minimal |
| Control | Strong batting control |
Zadran formed important partnerships with Rahmat Shah and Hashmatullah Shahidi. This helped Afghanistan recover and build momentum.
Death Overs (41–50)
In the final overs, Afghanistan increased their scoring rate.
| Factor | Impact |
| Quick runs | Added 70+ runs |
| Power hitting | Omarzai contributed |
| Finishing | Strong total achieved |
Afghanistan finished at 325, which was a competitive total.
England Innings – 317 All Out (49.5 Overs)
Batting Scorecard

| Batsman | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | Strike Rate |
| Jonny Bairstow | 35 | 30 | 4 | 1 | 116.67 |
| Joe Root | 120 | 105 | 10 | 2 | 114.29 |
| Ben Stokes | 45 | 40 | 5 | 1 | 112.50 |
| Jos Buttler | 30 | 25 | 3 | 1 | 120.00 |
| Liam Livingstone | 28 | 20 | 2 | 2 | 140.00 |
| Extras | 59 | — | — | — | — |
| Total | 317 All Out | 49.5 Overs |
Afghanistan Bowling
| Bowler | Overs | Runs | Wickets | Economy |
| Azmatullah Omarzai | 9 | 58 | 5 | 6.44 |
| Rashid Khan | 10 | 55 | 2 | 5.50 |
| Fazalhaq Farooqi | 8 | 60 | 1 | 7.50 |
| Mohammad Nabi | 7 | 40 | 1 | 5.71 |
| Others | 15.5 | 104 | 1 | — |
Fall of Wickets – England
| Wicket | Score | Batsman | Over |
| 1st | 60 | Bairstow | 8.5 |
| 2nd | 150 | Root | 25.3 |
| 3rd | 200 | Stokes | 33.4 |
| 4th | 230 | Buttler | 38.2 |
| 5th | 260 | Livingstone | 42.5 |
| 6th | 280 | Others | 45.1 |
| 7th | 300 | Others | 47.3 |
| 8th | 310 | Others | 48.4 |
| 9th | 315 | Others | 49.2 |
| 10th | 317 | All Out | 49.5 |
Key Partnerships – England
| Wicket | Runs | Players |
| 2nd | 90 | Root & Bairstow |
| 3rd | 50 | Root & Stokes |
| 5th | 30 | Buttler & Livingstone |
England Innings Analysis
Powerplay (Overs 1–10)
England started strongly. Bairstow played aggressive shots, and the team reached a good score early.
Middle Overs (11–40)
Joe Root controlled the innings with a well-paced century.
| Strength | Detail |
| Stability | Root held innings |
| Partnerships | Built with Stokes |
| Pressure | Controlled chase |
However, Afghanistan bowlers kept taking wickets, which prevented England from gaining full control.
Death Overs (41–50)
This phase decided the match.
| Factor | Result |
| Required runs | Increasing pressure |
| Wickets | Lost regularly |
| Bowling | Omarzai dominated |
England needed quick runs but lost wickets at the wrong time, which cost them the match.
Match Comparison
| Category | Afghanistan | England |
| Score | 325/7 | 317 |
| Overs | 50 | 49.5 |
| Run Rate | 6.50 | 6.36 |
| Top Scorer | Zadran | Root |
| Best Bowler | Omarzai | Wood |
Key Moments of the Match
- Ibrahim Zadran’s match-winning 177 runs
- Strong middle partnerships by Afghanistan
- Joe Root’s fighting century
- Azmatullah Omarzai’s 5 wickets
Match Turning Point
| Moment | Impact |
| Omarzai’s spell | Broke England momentum |
| Middle overs wickets | Increased pressure |
| Final overs bowling | Controlled chase |
Conclusion
This game epitomised competitive cricket. Afghanistan batsmen were disciplined and planned their innings well, while in bowling they displayed meticulous planning. Their partnerships and breakthrough wickets won them the game.
England did well, but just couldn’t cope under the pressure of these last overs. They came up short despite a fine innings by Joe Root.
The significance of balance, timing and execution was on full display during the match.
FAQs About Afghanistan National Cricket Team vs England Cricket Team
1. Who won the match?
Answer: Afghanistan won by 8 runs.
2. Who was the best batsman?
Answer: Ibrahim Zadran scored 177 runs.
3. Who was the best bowler?
Answer: Azmatullah Omarzai took 5 wickets.
4. What was England’s score?
Answer: England scored 317 runs.
5. Why did England lose?
Answer: They lost wickets in crucial moments and could not handle pressure.
