LAHORE: Afghanistan’s fairytale run in the Champions Trophy continued as tournament debutants stunned England with a thrilling eight-run victory in Group B on Wednesday. Opener Ibrahim Zadran produced a historic 177, the highest individual score in the competition’s history, to propel Afghanistan to 325-7 despite Jofra Archer’s fiery spell early on.
Joe Root’s brilliant 120 kept England in contention, but Afghanistan’s bowlers struck at crucial moments, eventually bundling out England for 317 with one ball to spare. The result sealed England’s exit from the tournament after back-to-back defeats, raising further questions over Jos Buttler’s leadership.
“I don’t want to say any emotional statements right now,” Buttler said after the match. “For myself and the guys at the top, we should consider all possibilities.”(Reuters)
