England’s depressing white-ball winter reached its lowest ebb as they had been eradicated from the Champions Trophy following a nerve-shredding defeat to Afghanistan which locations Jos Buttler’s captaincy in jeopardy.
After England misplaced their Group B opener to Australia, Buttler accepted the stakes had been excessive in Lahore for the primary of two must-win ties however Afghanistan piled on the strain with a complete of 325 for seven.
Joe Root anchored the chase with an impressive 120 off 111 deliveries however he fell with 39 wanted off the final 25 balls and the lower-order couldn’t get England over the road, all out for 317 to lose by eight runs.
A ninth defeat in 10 limited-overs matches since Brendon McCullum expanded his head teaching position final month leaves Buttler’s place weak after yet one more disappointing marketing campaign at a serious occasion.
England’s Type
Within the final 18 months, England have surrendered each World Cups and are on a dire run of type, particularly in ODIs, with Buttler’s document now studying 22 defeats in 34 ODIs in everlasting cost forward of Saturday’s lifeless rubber in opposition to South Africa in Karachi.
Ibrahim Zadran signposted a sixth successive ODI defeat for Buttler’s aspect, thumping 177 off 146 balls after Jofra Archer’s three-wicket burst had left Afghanistan reeling on 37 for 3.
He placed on 103 and 72 with Hashmatullah Shahidi and Azmatullah Omarzai respectively earlier than a barn-burning 111 off simply 55 balls alongside Mohammad Nabi as Afghanistan added 113 within the final 10 overs.
Mark Wooden’s left knee damage sophisticated issues, he bowled 4 overs up prime and 4 extra after therapy, however being unable to get by way of his full quota left England uncovered on the again finish.
First Innings
Precisely 500 days after Afghanistan’s shock 2023 World Cup win over England, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who made 80 off 57 balls in Delhi, made six right here after being tempted by Archer right into a drive solely to pull on to his stumps through his pads.
It was Archer’s fiftieth ODI wicket and he had his 51st in the identical over when Sediqullah Atal was crushed for tempo and pinned lbw whereas Rahmat Shah additionally perished within the powerplay, halfheartedly pulling to Adil Rashid.
Wooden’s damage was a harbinger, even when it was not instantly obvious as Zadran, who had earlier ramped the tempo bowler for the primary of his six sixes, and captain Hashmatullah Shahidi confirmed excessive warning.
They regularly got here out of their shells however after Shahidi was bowled for 40 by Rashid, Omarzai upped the ante, clattering three sixes in his 31-ball 41, in a stand of 72 with Zadran, who grew to become Afghanistan’s first centurion on the Champions Trophy with a tip-and-run for a single.
He was removed from completed and after Wooden went off for the ultimate time, forcing Buttler right into a hasty reshuffle of his bowlers, Zadran thumped Archer for six then three successive square-driven fours in his penultimate over that yielded 20.
Root leaked 23 from the forty seventh over as Zadran and Mohammad Nabi, who hit 40 off 24, made hay and whereas each holed out within the closing over, the place Livingstone conceded simply two, the harm was performed.
Second Innings
England’s reply started inauspiciously as Phil Salt missed an ethereal swing to a bail-trimmer from Omarzai and makeshift quantity three Jamie Smith rashly charged at Nabi’s first ball, slicing to backward level.
Contemporary from his 165 in opposition to Australia, an all-time match document rating that lasted 4 days earlier than being overtaken by Zadran, Ben Duckett was dropped on 30 after which out lbw for 38 after being crushed on the within edge by Rashid Khan, with Afghanistan vindicated on evaluate.
Harry Brook appeared a person on a mission in attending to 25 however then chipped a return catch to Nabi, leaving fellow Yorkshireman Root, ticking over serenely, and Buttler with work to do.
Whereas Root confidently handled wrist-spinners Rashid and Noor Ahmad off the again foot and used the reverse sweep nicely to Nabi to achieve a run-a-ball 50, Buttler made a scratchy begin.
After being given the advantage of the doubt on a marginal leg-before name off Nabi, it appeared a sliding doorways second for Buttler, who belted the off-spinner for a few sixes with the dew now in play.
It proved to be a false daybreak as Buttler fell into Omarzai’s short-ball entice and Livingstone injudiciously heaved however edged behind to provide Gulbadin Naib a wicket in his first over.
Root introduced up a 98-ball ton – his first ODI century because the 2019 World Cup, a run of 37 innings – however he was shocked by the additional bounce of Omarzai and gloved behind.
Ultimate Overs
England bought the equation all the way down to 16 required off the final 12 balls however Fazalhaq Farooqi conceded simply three off the penultimate over, chipping in with the wicket of Archer.
Whereas Wooden was capable of come out to bat, Rashid was final man out, with 9 wanted off two balls, when he holed out to provide Omarzai his five-for and ship Afghanistan into raptures.
