Lahore, Pakistan: Afghanistan scripted history with a thrilling 8-run victory over England in their ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Group B clash in Lahore, keeping their semi-final hopes alive while officially knocking England out of the tournament.

The highly anticipated encounter turned into a gripping battle between Ibrahim Zadran and Joe Root, with both players delivering stellar performances. Zadran’s magnificent 177-run knock powered Afghanistan to a formidable total of 325 runs, aided by crucial late contributions from Mohammad Nabi (40 off 24 balls) and Azmatullah Omarzai (41 off 31 balls).

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England’s Chase Falters Despite Root’s Heroics

Chasing 326 for victory, England struggled from the outset as Afghanistan’s bowlers dominated proceedings. Azmatullah Omarzai emerged as the game-changer, claiming 5 wickets for 58 runs, ensuring that England never gained momentum. Despite Joe Root’s valiant 120 off 111 balls, wickets fell at regular intervals, and England eventually fell short, finishing at 317 all out.

England Eliminated; Afghanistan’s Knockout Hopes Alive

This shocking defeat marked England’s exit from the tournament, as Jos Buttler’s men suffered their second consecutive loss. Meanwhile, Afghanistan remains in contention for a semi-final spot, making Group B an open contest.

Group B Standings After Afghanistan’s Win

Team	Matches Played	Wins	Losses	No Result	Points	Net Run Rate (NRR)
South Africa	2	1	0	1	3	+2.140
Australia	2	1	0	1	3	+0.475
Afghanistan	2	1	1	0	3	-0.990
England	2	0	2	0	0	-0.305

Crucial Matches Ahead in Group B

With England out of contention, the battle for the semi-finals intensifies. Afghanistan will face Australia on February 28th, while South Africa takes on England on March 1st, in what promises to be a thrilling conclusion to Group B’s fixtures.

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