ICC World Cup 2023: Afghanistan thrash defending champion England by 69 runs

 In an astonishing turn of events, the Afghanistan team Sunday thrashed defending champion England by 69 runs in a World Cup clash played at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi, reported the 24NewsHD TV channel.  

Afghanistan team had set a 285-run target for England, but the world champion could 215 runs for all out in 40.3 overs. 

English batsmen Harry Brook and Dawid Malan offered some resistance to the Afghan bowling attack and they made 66 and 32 runs respectively.  

Afghanistan pacer Mujeeb-ur-Rehman and Rashid Kahn took three wickets each while Muhammad Nabi sent two England batsmen to the pavilion.

The stunning upset gave Afghanistan just their second World Cup win to add to a lone victory over Scotland at the 2015 tournament.

They came into Sunday's clash having lost their opening two games in India and on a 14-match losing World Cup streak.

 Earlier, Flamboyant opening batsman Rahmanullah Gurbaz hit a blistering 80 as Afghanistan, buoyed by some lusty late hitting, made 284 against England. Afghanistan's last four wickets yielded a crucial 94 with the recalled Ikram Alikhil making 58.

 Gurbaz, 80, piled up his runs off 57 balls with eight fours and four sixes to register his eighth score in excess of fifty in his brief ODI career.

England’s blowers Adil Rashid and Mark Wood took claimed three and four wickets respectively.

Earlier, England won the toss and decided to bowl first in the World Cup match against Afghanistan at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Sunday where star batsman Ben Stokes was again absent.

 Flamboyant opening batsman Rahmanullah Gurbaz smashed a 33-ball half-century as Afghanistan enjoyed a blistering start to their World Cup game against champions England.

 The 21-year-old Rahmanullah clubbed seven fours and two sixes to reach his third ODI fifty before Afghanistan reached 100 without loss off 77 balls.

 Rahmanullah was undefeated on 66 at the time with fellow opener Ibrahim Zadran on 24.

 England newball bowler Chris Woakes conceded 31 off his first three overs.

 England came into the game after a loss to New Zealand and victory over Bangladesh while Afghanistan suffered heavy defeats by six wickets to Bangladesh and eight wickets to India.

 The two countries have only met twice before with England winning convincingly on both occasions -- by nine wickets at the 2015 World Cup in Sydney and 150 runs in Manchester four years ago.

 

Teams

 

England: Jonny Bairstow, Dawid Malan, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler (capt/wk), Liam Livingstone, Sam Curran, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood, Adil Rashid, Reece Topley

Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (capt), Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Ikram Alikhil (wkt), Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi

 

Umpires: Rod Tucker (AUS) and Sharfuddoula (BAN)

TV Umpire: Paul Reiffel (AUS)

 

Match Referee: Jeff Crowe (NZL)

 

 

 

team have set a -run target to England

Afghanistan made 280 scores with the help of Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ikram Alikhil who played superbly. England’s blowers Adil Rashid and Mark Wood took three and four wickets respectively.

Earlier, England won the toss and decided to bowl first in the World Cup match against Afghanistan at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Sunday where star batsman Ben Stokes was again absent.

 

Flamboyant opening batsman Rahmanullah Gurbaz smashed a 33-ball half-century as Afghanistan enjoyed a blistering start to their World Cup game against champions England.

 

The 21-year-old Rahmanullah clubbed seven fours and two sixes to reach his third ODI fifty before Afghanistan reached 100 without loss off 77 balls.

 

Rahmanullah was undefeated on 66 at the time with fellow opener Ibrahim Zadran on 24.

 

England newball bowler Chris Woakes conceded 31 off his first three overs.

 

England came into the game after a loss to New Zealand and victory over Bangladesh while Afghanistan suffered heavy defeats by six wickets to Bangladesh and eight wickets to India.

 

The two countries have only met twice before with England winning convincingly on both occasions -- by nine wickets at the 2015 World Cup in Sydney and 150 runs in Manchester four years ago.

 

Teams

 

England: Jonny Bairstow, Dawid Malan, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler (capt/wk), Liam Livingstone, Sam Curran, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood, Adil Rashid, Reece Topley

 

Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (capt), Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Ikram Alikhil (wkt), Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi

 

Umpires: Rod Tucker (AUS) and Sharfuddoula (BAN)

 

TV Umpire: Paul Reiffel (AUS)

 

Match Referee: Jeff Crowe (NZL)