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Joe Root's long-awaited return to ODI century form has helped England stage a comeback in the crucial group match of the Champions Trophy against Afghanistan. Root scored his 17th ODI hundred--his first since the 2019 World Cup. His century came in100 balls and contained 10 boundaries.
England have a mammoth task to chase 326 and were 261/6 in 43 overs. Afghanistan opener Ibrahim Zadran scripted history with a sensational knock of 177 off 146 deliveries, the highest individual score in ICC Champions Trophy history, surpassing England's Ben Duckett's 165. His record-breaking innings helped Afghanistan post a formidable 325/7 in 50 overs against England in their Group B clash in Lahore on Wednesday. Zadran not only became the first Afghan player to score a century in the ICC Champions Trophy, but also the first Afghan batter to score a century in any ICC event, marking a monumental moment for his nation in global cricket. Winning the toss and opting to bat first, Afghanistan faced early setbacks, but a resilient middle-order fightback led by Zadran helped them post a commanding total. England struck early, with Jofra Archer dismissing Rahmanullah Gurbaz (6) at 11/1. Things got worse when Sediqullah Atal (4) and Rahmat Shah (4) fell cheaply, leaving Afghanistan reeling at 37/3. However, Zadran found an able partner in captain Hashmatullah Shahidi, who contributed 40 off 67 balls in a crucial 103-run stand. After Shahidi's dismissal to Adil Rashid, Afghanistan reached the 200-run mark in 37.2 overs. Zadran continued his dominance, forging a 72-run partnership with Azmatullah Omarzai (41 off 31, 3 sixes, 1 four) before Jamie Overton broke the stand but the real acceleration came when Mohammad Nabi joined Zadran at the crease. The experienced all-rounder and the in-form opener stitched together a 111-run partnership, propelling Afghanistan beyond 300. Zadran surpassed his previous best score of 162 against Sri Lanka in 2022, rewriting history with a brilliant 177 (12 fours, 6 sixes). His innings finally ended on the first ball of the last over, falling to Liam Livingstone. Despite the onslaught, Jofra Archer stood out with figures of 3/64, while Livingstone impressed with 2/28 in 5 overs. Overton and Rashid picked up a wicket each. (ANI)
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