England Cricket Team vs Afghanistan National Cricket Team Match Scorecard

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England cricket team vs Afghanistan National cricket team ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 match
Source: Cricbuzz.com

In a historic upset at the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, Afghanistan stunned defending champions England by 69 runs at Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium. Our comprehensive Afghanistan National Cricket Team vs England Cricket Team match scorecard analysis reveals how Ikram Alikhil’s gritty 58 and Mujeeb Ur Rahman’s 3-wicket haul orchestrated Afghanistan’s first-ever ODI victory against England. This detailed breakdown covers every pivotal moment, player performance, and tactical nuance that defined this watershed moment in Afghan cricket.

Match Context: Why This Victory Rewrites History

Afghanistan’s 284/10 – defended brilliantly to bowl England out for 215 – marked several milestones:

  • First ODI Win vs England in 4 attempts (previously lost by 150+ runs in 2019 WC)
  • Biggest WC upset by ranking difference (#9 vs #1 ODI team)
  • Spin Domination: Mujeeb-Rashid-Nabi combined for 8/104 in 25 overs

Tactical Breakdown: How Afghanistan Outplayed England

  • Powerplay Contrast: Afghanistan 79/0 vs England’s 45/2
  • Middle Overs Mastery: Rashid’s 3/37 included 27 dot balls
  • Death Bowling: Last 10 overs yielded just 54 runs with 4 wickets

Afghanistan National Cricket Team vs England Cricket Team Match Scorecard

Afghanistan Innings: 284 all out (49.5 overs)

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Key Innings Moments:

  • Gurbaz’s Blitz: 28 off 30 balls set early tempo before Adil Rashid’s intervention
  • Alikhil’s Rescue Act: From 174/5 to 284/10 – added 110 runs with tailenders
  • Mujeeb’s Cameo: 28 off 16 balls (175 SR) in death overs proved decisive

England Bowling Analysis

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Bowling Insights:

  • Rashid’s Control: 4.20 economy while others conceded 5.60+
  • Woakes’ Struggle: 10.20 economy – most expensive England bowler
  • Livingstone’s Surprise: 1 over, 1 wicket (Shahidi) at crucial juncture

England Innings: 215 all out (40.3 overs)

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Turning Points:

  • Powerplay Collapse: 33/2 after 6.5 overs (Root dismissed by Mujeeb)
  • Brook’s Lone Fight: 66 off 61 balls before Rashid’s googly trapped him LBW
  • Buttler’s Failure: England captain out for 9 to Mohammad Nabi’s arm ball

Afghanistan Bowling Analysis

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Bowling Masterclass:

  • Rashid’s Control: 3 maidens in 9 overs – unheard of in modern ODIs
  • Nabi’s Economy: 2.70 runs/over – strangled England’s middle order
  • Mujeeb’s Strikes: Removed Root, Brook, Buttler in middle overs

Player Spotlight: Match-Winning Performances

  • Mujeeb Ur Rahman (3/51 & 28 runs): Became first Afghan player with 3+ wickets and 25+ runs in WC match
  • Ikram Alikhil (58 runs): Maiden ODI fifty came at crucial #6 position
  • Harry Brook (66 runs): Only England batter with 50+ score (SR 108.20)

Tactical Battles That Decided the Match

  • Spin vs Pace: Afghanistan spinners took 8 wickets vs England’s 5
  • Middle Overs (11-40): Afghanistan scored 165/5 vs England’s 142/7
  • Death Overs (41-50): Afghanistan added 64/5 vs England’s 25/3

Afghanistan vs England: Historical Context

StatAfghanistanEngland
ODI Head-to-Head1 Win3 Wins
World Cup MeetingsWon 2023Won 2019
Highest Team Total284 (2023)397 (2019)
Best Bowling FiguresRashid 3/37 (2023)Wood 3/50 (2023)

Post-Match Reactions: What Captains Said

“This win proves we belong at this level. Mujeeb and Rashid showed world-class skills against the best.” — Hashmatullah Shahidi, Afghanistan Captain

“Full credit to Afghanistan – their spinners outthought us. We need to be better against quality slow bowling.” — Jos Buttler, England Captain

Key Statistics and Records

  • Afghanistan’s Highest WC Total: Previous best was 247 vs West Indies (2019)
  • England’s Lowest vs Associate Nation: Previous low was 221 vs Ireland (2011)
  • Mujeeb’s All-Round Show: 3rd player in WC history with 3+ wickets and 25+ runs at No.9

Looking Ahead: Tournament Implications

  • Afghanistan’s Campaign: Kept semi-final hopes alive (now 2 wins from 5 matches)
  • England’s Crisis: 1 win from 5 matches – defending champions on brink of elimination
  • Road Ahead: Afghanistan face Sri Lanka next; England play hosts India

Final Verdict: How Afghanistan Scripted History

This Afghanistan National Cricket Team vs England Cricket Team match scorecard reveals a perfect storm:

  • Batting Depth: Contributions from 7 batters (20+ runs each)
  • Spin Trio: Mujeeb, Rashid, Nabi combined 25-4-104-8
  • Fielding Prowess: 3 run-outs and 5 catches held

For England, this defeat raises serious questions about their middle-order frailty against quality spin – a weakness opponents will surely target as the tournament progresses.