ENG vs AFG: Afghanistan defeated the defending Champions by 69 runs on Saturday, the biggest upset of the World Cup. England, chasing a target of 285 runs, are all out for 215 runs after 40.3 overs.

No other English batters could stand up to the Afghan batters apart from Harry Brook (66), Dawid Malan (32) and Mohammad Nabi (22). Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ul Rahman, Mohammad Nabi, Naveen ul Haq, and Fazalhaq Fazalhaq each took three wickets for Afghanistan.

In their ICC World Cup game at Arun Jaitley stadium in Delhi, Afghanistan was all out for 284. England won the toss, and they chose to bowl.

The Afghanistan opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz scored the highest score for his team with an 80 off 57 balls before being run out. His opening partner Ibrahim Zadran contributed 28 to a partnership of 114 runs in 16 overs.

Ikram alikhil, who replaced Najibullah Zadran as the playing XI’s captain, took the chance and scored 58 points off 66 balls.

Star leg-spinner Rashid Khan and Mujeeb your Rahman contributed 23 and 28, respectively. Adil Rashid, an England leg-spinner, scored 3/42 in his first three matches.

England, one of the strongest teams in cricket, is a favorite to win this match. They are known for their aggressive play style and strong batting lineup.

In previous World Cups, they were a force that could not be ignored. England will need the likes of Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler to win and secure their dominance in this tournament.

Afghanistan has risen quickly through the ranks in international cricket. They have several spinners who are talented and powerful hitters. This team has the potential to make an impact in the competition.

Afghanistan will need players like Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi, and others to compete with more established teams.

Highlights of ENG vs AFG Match

1. Afghanistan scored over six runs per over after four overs. It’s a good start for the team.
2. Gurbaz looks good. Give yourself some space. He looks confident in facing this English attack. At 20 off 14 after five overs. Great batting!
3. Gurbaz scores 50 in 33 balls. This is his third fifty of his career. This young man is playing a great game.
4. Afghanistan has scored 100 runs in 13 overs without losing a wicket. This is a run rate of more than 7 per over. The two openers batted well.
5. Gurbaz runs out after 57 balls at 80. A great innings has come to a close. He’s visibly furious at Hashmat over the run that didn’t happen. This batting is in trouble. Three wickets gone in quick succession. The run rate has also slowed. Omarzai is up to bat.
6. 152.4 after 26 overs. Azmat has also been dismissed. Afghanistan is in a bad situation. Livingstone takes his first wicket in the match. The spinners have brought England back into the game.
7. Afghanistan’s innings ends at 284. In the final over, they were all out. The run-out was responsible for the last wicket. They struggled through the innings with something.
8. Brief scores: Afghanistan 284 all out in 49.5 overs (Rahmanullah Gurbaz 80, Ikram Alikhil 58; Adil Rashid 3-42) v England
9. Bairstow is the first wicket England loses.
10. Joe Root leaves early, and Mujeeb wins.
11. Nabi wins the battle of Malan.
12. Naveen takes the wicket of Jos Buttler.
13. Rashid Khan defeats Liam Livingstone at the 20th over.
14. Mohammad Nabi leaves Sam Curran after the 27th over.
15. England reaches 150 runs in 30.5 overs.
16. Mujeeb leaves Woakes with the last ball of the 33rd Over.

Also Read: ALL ABOUT INDIA VS AFGHANISTAN IN ICC WORLD CUP 2023?

Afg captain Hashmatullah Shahidi After Match

“I am thrilled, and so are my teammates. This is our best win, and our confidence will be there for the next match. I am very proud. They deserve a lot more credit. The openers, particularly Gurbaz, deserve much credit for their performance. Ikram has been with us for two years but only had a few chances. Today, I gave him a shot, and he proved my faith.” 

Mujeeb batted brilliantly. He led from the front and scored important runs. Our batting lineup needs to score more runs for our spinners. Our spinners inspire a great deal of confidence. Fazal got off to a great start, and the first wicket gave our team much more momentum. As I batted, I noticed the wicket needed more conducive to batters facing spinners. 

When I returned to the dressing room, I told them 280-290 would be sufficient. I’m here to tell you that there is talent, belief, and trust. In the last couple of games, we didn’t do well. But the belief was there. We are still looking to win more games in this tournament. “This was only the first win, not the last.”

England Captain Jos Buttler After Match

“It was disappointing to win the toss and to concede so many. Me missing the first ball on the leg side set the tone. Afghanistan deserved credit for their performance today. We weren’t as good with the bat or ball as we would have liked. The dew came in less than anticipated, and the ball held up. We needed to be better”. 

They kept the stumps alive and bowled straight. It’s essential to allow these losses to hurt. There is no sense in rushing to forget. We need to reflect. This group has a lot to offer, and we must show resilience and return stronger. We will all work hard to ensure our guys can perform well under pressure.

Mujeeb, after winning Player of the Match

“Very proud to be in this World Cup and beat the champions. This is a huge achievement for our team. We worked very hard to get here. We defeated a large team. The bowlers and batters put on a great show. It’s hard for a spinner to bowl during the powerplay because there are only two outside fielders.” 

This is something I have been practicing in the nets. I was trying to be consistent with the new ball. This has helped me become more efficient. I always keep my bowling simple and stump to stump. We knew the dew would play a role in the later part. For this reason, I told the captain to bowl at me during the powerplay. We were mentally ready. 

It’s all the player’s management. They make me feel confident in the nets. My partner has always been in the nets with me. He wants to strike every ball. That’s where I also want to contribute. These 20-25 runs mean a lot to the team. This trophy is dedicated to those affected by the Herat earthquake back home. “This whole victory is for them.”

A Bad Day at the Office for England

The batting surface looked good, but defending against England’s potent lineup took a lot of work. Afghanistan got off to a good start, with Mujeeb catching Root and Farooqi dismissing Bairstow. Nabi’s expertise removed Malan, and Naveen eliminated Buttler. Brook fought but ultimately fell to Mujeeb. This sealed a convincing victory for Afghanistan, 69 runs.

ENG vs AFG: Afghanistan Scripts history

Afghanistan won their second World Cup in history, defeating a tournament favorite. Gurbaz’s 80-run knock set the tone, and the team’s collective effort resulted in a competitive 284, which shocked the defending champions.

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