In a thrilling encounter at the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, Afghanistan secured a stunning victory over England by 69 runs. After winning the toss, England chose to bowl first, but Afghanistan put up a formidable total that proved to be decisive.
Afghanistan’s innings were led by impressive contributions from their batsmen, allowing them to set a challenging target. England struggled to chase down the total, facing the pressure of Afghanistan’s disciplined bowling attack.
The standout performer of the match was Mujeeb Ur Rahman, who was named Player of the Match for his exceptional bowling display, which played a crucial role in restricting England’s scoring and helping Afghanistan clinch the victory. This match marked a significant achievement for Afghanistan in the tournament, showcasing their potential on the world stage.
Match Context: Why This Victory Matters
Afghanistan’s win over defending champions England was a historic upset in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. Played at Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium, the pitch favored spinners early on—a key factor in Afghanistan’s strategy. This victory marked Afghanistan’s first-ever ODI win against England, elevating their campaign and denting England’s semi-final hopes.
Key Player Battles
- Mujeeb Ur Rahman vs England’s Middle Order: Mujeeb’s 3/51 included the wickets of Root, Brook, and Buttler—all dismissed while attempting aggressive shots against his carrom ball.
- Rashid Khan vs Liam Livingstone: Livingstone’s strike rate dropped to 71.43 against Rashid, who bowled 9 overs with 3 maidens.
England Cricket Team vs Afghanistan National Cricket Team Match Scorecard
Afghanistan Innings
| Batter | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rahmanullah Gurbaz | 8 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 160.00 |
| Ibrahim Zadran | 28 | 30 | 5 | 0 | 93.33 |
| Rahmat Shah | 38 | 37 | 0 | 0 | 102.70 |
| Hashmatullah Shahidi (c) | 14 | 36 | 0 | 0 | 38.89 |
| Azmatullah Omarzai | 19 | 24 | 1 | 0 | 79.17 |
| Ikram Alikhil (wk) | 58 | 66 | 3 | 2 | 87.88 |
| Mohammad Nabi | 9 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 60.00 |
| Rashid Khan | 23 | 23 | 1 | 0 | 100.00 |
| Mujeeb Ur Rahman | 28 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 175.00 |
| Naveen-ul-Haq | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 83.33 |
| Fazalhaq Farooqi | 24 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 50.00 |
Extras: 15 (b 0, lb 1, w 11, nb 3, p 0)
Total: 284 (10 wkts, 49.5 Ov)
Fall of Wickets:
- 114-1 (Ibrahim Zadran, 16.4)
- 122-2 (Rahmat Shah, 18.4)
- 122-3 (Rahmanullah Gurbaz, 18.5)
- 152-4 (Azmatullah Omarzai, 25.6)
- 174-5 (Hashmatullah Shahidi, 32.1)
- 190-6 (Mohammad Nabi, 36.1)
- 233-7 (Rashid Khan, 44.1)
- 277-8 (Ikram Alikhil, 47.6)
- 277-9 (Mujeeb Ur Rahman, 48.1)
- 284-10 (Naveen-ul-Haq, 49.5)
Bowling Analysis:
| Bowler | O | M | R | W | NB | Wd | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chris Woakes | 4 | 0 | 41 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 10.20 |
| Reece Topley | 8.5 | 1 | 52 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 5.90 |
| Sam Curran | 4 | 0 | 46 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 11.50 |
| Adil Rashid | 10 | 1 | 42 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 4.20 |
| Mark Wood | 9 | 0 | 50 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5.60 |
| Liam Livingstone | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3.30 |
Turning Point: Ikram Alikhil’s Knock
Wicketkeeper Ikram Alikhil’s 58 off 66 balls rescued Afghanistan from 174/5, forming critical partnerships with Rashid Khan (23) and Mujeeb Ur Rahman (28). His strike rate of 87.88 against Adil Rashid (3/42) was pivotal in setting a defendable total.
England Innings
| Batter | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jonny Bairstow | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 50.00 |
| Dawid Malan | 32 | 39 | 4 | 0 | 82.05 |
| Joe Root | 11 | 17 | 2 | 0 | 64.71 |
| Harry Brook | 66 | 61 | 7 | 1 | 108.20 |
| Jos Buttler (c & wk) | 9 | 18 | 1 | 0 | 50.00 |
| Liam Livingstone | 10 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 71.43 |
| Sam Curran | 10 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 43.48 |
| Chris Woakes | 9 | 26 | 1 | 0 | 34.62 |
| Adil Rashid | 2 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 15.38 |
| Mark Wood | 18 | 22 | 3 | 1 | 81.82 |
| Reece Topley | 15 | 30 | 2 | 0 | 50.00 |
Extras: 13 (b 0, lb 4, w 8, nb 1, p 0)
Total: 215 (10 wkts, 40.3 Ov)
Fall of Wickets:
- 3-1 (Jonny Bairstow, 1.1)
- 33-2 (Joe Root, 6.5)
- 68-3 (Dawid Malan, 12.4)
- 91-4 (Jos Buttler, 17.2)
- 117-5 (Liam Livingstone, 20.4)
- 138-6 (Sam Curran, 27.1)
- 160-7 (Chris Woakes, 32.6)
- 169-8 (Harry Brook, 34.2)
- 198-9 (Adil Rashid, 38.4)
- 215-10 (Mark Wood, 40.3)
Bowling Analysis:
| Bowler | O | M | R | W | NB | Wd | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mujeeb Ur Rahman | 10 | 1 | 51 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 5.10 |
| Fazalhaq Farooqi | 7 | 0 | 50 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 7.10 |
| Naveen-ul-Haq | 6 | 1 | 44 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 7.30 |
| Mohammad Nabi | 6 | 0 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2.70 |
| Rashid Khan | 9 | 3 | 37 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3.90 |
| Azmatullah Omarzai | 2 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6.50 |
Post-Match Reactions
“Mujeeb’s spell changed the game. We knew 280 was competitive, but his wickets in the middle overs broke England’s back.” — Hashmatullah Shahidi, Afghanistan Captain
“We misread the pitch. Their spinners outbowled us, and we didn’t adapt.” — Jos Buttler, England Captain
Afghanistan vs England: Head-to-Head Stats
| Stat | Afghanistan | England |
|---|---|---|
| ODI Wins (Total) | 1 | 3 |
| World Cup Meetings | 1 (2023) | 2 (2019, 2023) |
| Highest Total | 284 (2023) | 397 (2019) |
