In one of the biggest upsets in World Cup cricket, Afghanistan stunned England by defeating them by a margin huge of 69 runs at Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium.
Afghanistan came into the gane with a daunting record, having lost 16 out of their last 17 World Cup games, with their lone victory coming against Scotland in 2015. This historic win stands as only their second win in World Cup cricket.
After being asked to bat first, Afghanistan posted a total of 284 runs, driven by Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s dynamic 80 runs, which set the stage for their strong performance. Ikram Alikhil also contributed a fifty, aiding Afghanistan in achieving this impressive score.
In response, England struggled and were bowled out for just 215 with 57 balls to spare. Harry Brook was the sole fighter to adapt effectively to the challenging conditions, contributing a valiant 66 runs. The spinners, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Rashid Khan, were pivotal in England’s downfall, each claiming three wickets.
The trio of renowned spinners, Nabi, Rashid Khan, and Mujeeb Ur Rahman, collectively had figures of 25.3-2-104-8. It was a classic test to which the Englishmen had no answers.
Final scores: AFG 284 all-out (49.5) | ENG 215 all-out (40.3)