In a crucial Group B match of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi opted to bat first against England at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. This decision was influenced by the condition of the pitch and the potential for spin in the second innings of the contest.
Toss and team selection
Shahidi explained his decision to bat first, stating, “The wicket looks good. Hopefully, it will spin in the second innings. And it might be slower as well. Sometimes the dew is coming and sometimes it is not. It might get slower for sure.”
He also acknowledged that his team’s bowling performance in the previous match was not up to par, adding, “We were not bowling in the good areas in the last game. We are going with the same team.”
England captain Jos Buttler, who would have also chosen to bat first, noted the favourable batting conditions under lights, saying, “The dew came in last game [against Australia] and it skidded on under lights. We would have batted first as well. It came on to the bat nicely.”
Also READ: AFG vs ENG, Champions Trophy 2025 – Gaddafi Stadium Pitch Report, Lahore Weather Forecast, ODI Stats & Records | Afghanistan vs England
Context of the match
This match is a must-win for both teams, as defeat would eliminate the loser from the tournament. Afghanistan are looking to bounce back from a 107-run loss to South Africa in their opening match, while England are recovering from a disappointing loss to Australia, where they failed to defend a mammoth total of 352 runs.
AFG vs ENG: Playing XI of both teams
England: Philip Salt, Ben Duckett, Jamie Smith (wk), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler (c), Liam Livingstone, Jofra Archer, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood
Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi
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