In a recent cricket clash, Afghanistan set England a challenging target of 285 runs, powered by an explosive performance from opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who hammered 80 runs from 57 balls, and a valuable half-century from wicketkeeper Ikram Alikhil. Gurbaz, on the cusp of a century, was dramatically run out in a risky call, his frustration visible as he slammed his bat on the boundary rope. Afghanistan’s spinners, particularly Adil Rashid and Mujeeb Ur Rahman, played a pivotal role in building a competitive total.
England faced early setbacks as left-arm pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi dismissed opener Jonny Bairstow. Subsequently, Afghanistan’s spinners took command, with Joe Root and Dawid Malan falling to Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Mohammad Nabi, respectively. England’s captain Jos Buttler struggled and was dismissed for just nine runs, while Rashid Khan compounded their troubles by picking off Liam Livingstone and Adil Rashid. Although Harry Brook put up a spirited fight with his 66-run innings, he eventually succumbed to Mujeeb Ur Rahman, leaving England at 169-8.
Mujeeb Ur Rahman’s outstanding performance earned him the Player of the Match award. Following their victory, Afghanistan’s players expressed immense pride and joy at defeating the reigning champions, England. Jos Buttler, England’s captain, acknowledged Afghanistan’s superiority, commending their skilled bowling attack. In the group standings, England currently holds the fifth spot with one win from three matches, just behind Afghanistan. Notably, Afghanistan had faced substantial losses in recent matches, with their sole World Cup victory coming against Scotland in 2015.
