World Cup 2023, AFG vs ENG: Afghanistan Beat Defending Champions England By 69 Runs in Stunning Upset

New Delhi: In a stunning upset, Afghanistan defeated defending champions England by 69 runs in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 match at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi.

England opted to bowl first after winning the toss, but Afghanistan put up a competitive total of 284 runs. Opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz starred for the Afghans with a scintillating 80 runs off 57 balls, while wicketkeeper-batsman Ikram Alikhil chipped in with a crucial half-century. Spinners Rashid Khan and Mujeeb Ur Rahman also added valuable runs in the lower order to help Afghanistan post an imposing total.

England’s chase got off to a disastrous start as they lost opener Jonny Bairstow in just the second over. Afghanistan’s spinners then wreaked havoc on England’s batting lineup, with Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Mohammad Nabi accounting for the key wickets of Joe Root and Dawid Malan. England captain Jos Buttler was also dismissed cheaply, falling for just nine runs.

Rashid Khan further compounded England’s woes by taking the wickets of Liam Livingstone and Adil Rashid. Harry Brook put up a valiant effort with a 66-run knock, but he eventually succumbed to Mujeeb in the 35th over, leaving England reeling at 169-8. England was eventually bundled out for 215 runs, handing Afghanistan a remarkable victory.

The win was a major upset, as England had already lost their opening match of the tournament to New Zealand by nine wickets. Afghanistan, on the other hand, had suffered defeats in both of their previous matches.

Brief scores: Afghanistan 284 all out in 49.5 overs (Rahmanullah Gurbaz 80, Ikram Alikhil 58; Adil Rashid 3/42) beat England 215 all out in 40.3 overs (Harry Brook 66; Mujeeb Ur Rahman 3/51, Rashid Khan 3/37) by 69 runs.