Watch cricket video highlights of Champion’s Trophy 2025 eighth Match 2025. Between Afghanistan and England. Venue of the match will be Lahore.
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Preview
England gained a solid understanding of Lahore’s high-scoring conditions during their first match, and they can expect similar circumstances on a fresh pitch. However, the weather may be noticeably cooler. Rain has fallen in the lead-up to the game, and although it shouldn’t affect the match, the persistent cloud cover might benefit England’s predominantly pace-oriented bowling attack.
Hashmatullah Shahidi, the captain of Afghanistan, suggested that the same lineup that faced South Africa would play in Lahore—this is not surprising considering his pointed yet non-controversial remark that “the England team struggles a bit against spinners.” With Rashid, Mohammad Nabi, and Noor Ahmad, England will need to navigate through 30 overs of some of the best and most diverse slow bowlers in subcontinental conditions, although they will not have to contend with their main destroyer from the World Cup.
Mujeeb Ur Rahman, who has been dealing with an injury lately and is currently absent from the 50-over format. Brydon Carse emerged as one of the standout bowlers for England during their winter matches; however, his injured toes led to an unfortunate breakdown against Australia, where he conceded nearly ten runs an over over the course of seven overs. He has now been excluded from the tournament, with Jamie Overton being the most likely replacement of similar style – and if the conditions in Lahore continue to be as consistent as they were in the opening match.
This could also highlight the impact his powerful lower-order batting has often promised but seldom delivered. England has faced challenges against top-quality spin bowling for an extended period across all formats, and few spinners are as highly regarded as Afghanistan’s exceptional leg-spinner Rashid Khan. Last week, he lost his position at the top of the ICC’s ODI rankings to Maheesh Theekshana, mainly due to a lack of play, and despite going wicketless in Afghanistan’s first Group B defeat against South Africa, he recalls fondly his last match against England.
Where he took 3 for 37 in that memorable World Cup game in Delhi, including the decisive moment—a slider to Wood that clinched a 69-run victory, marking their first win against England in any format. As Adam Zampa showcased in Australia’s high-scoring triumph in Lahore on Saturday, wrist spinners who threaten the stumps can thrive even in the flattest of conditions. From its initial performances, it seems that white-ball Bazball is quite straightforward. Assemble a team filled with the most raw pace possible, disregarding finesse and strategy.
This approach could be incredibly explosive on its best days, yet such occasions have been far too rare during McCullum’s leadership. Mark Wood’s performance against Australia served as a perfect example. His intense opening spell featured nearly every delivery clocking in over 150kph and striking the crucial early wicket of Steven Smith. However, as Australia progressed in their 352-run chase, Glenn Maxwell was easily creating space on the leg side, confident that any decent connection would clear the boundaries.
Since the start of the 2023 World Cup, Wood has played in eight out of ten ODIs during ICC events. His nine wickets at an average of 58.44 and an economy rate exceeding 6.5 suggest that it’s not just the Aussies who have adapted to the threat he’s meant to pose. For several weeks of feverish activity at the start of the year, the encroachment of politics into the England versus Afghanistan match in the Champions Trophy could not be overlooked.
Yet, there remains a possibility that the cricket game itself might emerge as the main focus, particularly in Lahore on Wednesday. First addressing the trivial notion of keeping politics out of sports, this match has now become a crucial one for both teams that have yet to secure a victory in Group B. The recent washout of Australia’s match against South Africa in Rawalpindi has not altered this situation significantly; it simply means that if either team loses in Lahore, they will be eliminated without further chances.
Instead of relying on complicated calculations of net run rates when facing the group leaders later in the week. Moreover, before we dwell too much on the additional complexities surrounding this matchup, there is an abundance of recent on-field developments to explore as well. Afghanistan’s landmark win in Delhi during the 2023 World Cup has certainly played a role in this narrative. While that result did not conclude the reign of the champions from 2019 immediately, the tournament’s prolonged schedule meant that their humiliation was prolonged.
However, it undeniably highlighted their shortcomings, revealing a team that appeared sluggish, timid, and out of their prime. Eighteen months later, similar worries persist for England as they undertake their white-ball Bazball revival. On one hand, their five-wicket defeat to Australia was a contest decided by small margins, with Jofra Archer’s notable catch drop at a crucial moment in the chase being particularly frustrating. On the other hand, despite setting a sizeable target of 351 runs.
They were overwhelmingly defeated with nearly three overs left in the match. Even Ben Duckett’s tournament-record score of 165 was insufficient for a team whose underlying hesitation remains, irrespective of the optimistic mindset that has been adopted from Brendon McCullum’s Test environment. Considering everything, would you prefer to be in England’s position – perplexed about why your efforts still fall short and, for their captain Jos Buttler.
Somewhat aware of what another early exit from the tournament could mean – or in Afghanistan’s position – coming off a disappointing performance against South Africa that was so clearly below the new standards they set for themselves that the only way to go, surely, is up? Afghanistan’s 107-run defeat in Karachi featured poor fielding, highlighted by a critical missed run-out, and was finished off by a batting performance that crumbled within the first 15 overs.
Rahmat Shah exhibited the necessary resilience with a 90 off 92 balls, but Rashid Khan’s quick 18 from 13 balls at No. 9 was only their second-highest score. Following their advancement to the T20 World Cup semi-finals and the four wins at the 2023 World Cup that earned them a spot in the Champions Trophy, this team expects more from themselves these days. Enter England, the ideal opponents for teams needing a little extra motivation to elevate their performances.
In reality, the protests regarding this match have faded in recent weeks, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be further discussions as the game unfolds, nor that the issues at hand are no longer deserving of attention. On the contrary, when Labour MP Tonia Antoniazzi wrote to the ECB opposing the “sex apartheid” implemented by Afghanistan’s Taliban regime, which has effectively banned women’s sports since 2021.
She was simply expressing the same concerns that many individual cricket boards were already experiencing – including England and Australia, who had earlier vowed to suspend bilateral relations as long as the Taliban remains in power. That letter was endorsed by a cross-party coalition of 160 British MPs, but UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer echoed the ECB’s stance that this issue should be addressed by the ICC as a collective entity, not by separate boards. And that has, broadly speaking, been the conclusive stance for the time being.
It certainly stands in stark contrast to the circumstances faced by Nasser Hussain’s World Cup team in 2003 when – amidst comparable political tensions – the players had to engage in discussions and ultimately decide to conduct a unilateral boycott of Robert Mugabe’s Zimbabwe. Moreover, as Buttler reiterated before the match, there remains a role for sport as “a source of hope and enjoyment” during challenging times … much like the situation leading up to the 2023 matchup.
When Afghanistan aimed to provide a little joy to their nation following a devastating earthquake in Herat that claimed thousands of lives. The specifics may differ, but the fundamental reality remains unchanged. When faced with forces beyond your control, irrespective of what they are, all you can do is give your best effort and hope it contributes to something greater.
