Champions Trophy: Ibrahim Zadran’s Historic 177 Powers Afghanistan to Thrilling Win Over England

“The first Afghan to score a century in an ICC event—and he made it count!”

Lahore, February 28: Afghanistan’s Ibrahim Zadran etched his name in history with a phenomenal 177 off 146 balls, the highest individual score in ICC Champions Trophy history. His record-breaking innings propelled Afghanistan to a commanding 325/7 against England in their Group B clash at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore.

Zadran not only became the first Afghan batter to score a century in the ICC Champions Trophy, but also the first-ever Afghan player to score a century in any ICC event—a landmark achievement for Afghanistan on the global cricket stage. His innings shattered Ben Duckett’s previous tournament record of 165.

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Afghanistan’s Batting Masterclass

Winning the toss and opting to bat, Afghanistan faced early setbacks before Zadran’s historic knock changed the course of the game.

England’s Jofra Archer (3/64) struck early, removing Rahmanullah Gurbaz (6) at 11/1. The pressure mounted as Sediqullah Atal (4) and Rahmat Shah (4) fell cheaply, leaving Afghanistan struggling at 37/3.

However, Zadran stabilized the innings alongside captain Hashmatullah Shahidi (40 off 67) in a crucial 103-run stand. After Shahidi’s dismissal to Adil Rashid, Afghanistan reached the 200-run mark in 37.2 overs.

The late onslaught came from Zadran’s partnerships:

• 72 runs with Azmatullah Omarzai (41 off 31, 3 sixes, 1 four)
• 111 runs with veteran Mohammad Nabi

Zadran surpassed his previous best of 162, smashing 12 fours and 6 sixes before finally falling to Liam Livingstone on the first ball of the final over.

England’s bowlers struggled to contain the Afghan attack, with Livingstone (2/28) and Archer (3/64) being the pick of the bowlers.

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England’s Chase Falls Short Despite Root’s Heroics

Set a target of 326, England fell agonizingly short by 8 runs, bowled out for 317 in 49.4 overs.

Despite Joe Root’s valiant 120 off 111 balls, Afghanistan’s bowlers held their nerve in the final overs to secure a thrilling victory.

England Batting Scorecard:

Batter	Dismissal	Runs	Balls	Fours	Sixes	Strike Rate
Phil Salt	b Azmatullah Omarzai	12	13	2	0	92.30
Ben Duckett	lbw b Rashid Khan	38	45	4	0	84.44
Jamie Smith	c Azmatullah Omarzai b Mohammad Nabi	9	13	2	0	69.23
Joe Root	c †Rahmanullah Gurbaz b Azmatullah Omarzai	120	111	11	1	108.10
Harry Brook	c & b Mohammad Nabi	25	21	3	0	119.04
Jos Buttler (c)	c Rahmat Shah b Azmatullah Omarzai	38	42	0	2	90.47
Liam Livingstone	c †Rahmanullah Gurbaz b Gulbadin Naib	10	8	2	0	125.00
Jamie Overton	c Mohammad Nabi b Azmatullah Omarzai	32	28	3	0	114.28
Jofra Archer	c Mohammad Nabi b Fazalhaq Farooqi	14	8	2	0	175.00

Afghanistan’s Azmatullah Omarzai (4/56) was the standout bowler, dismissing key English batters at crucial moments. Mohammad Nabi (2/43) and Rashid Khan (1/39) played crucial roles in restricting England’s chase.

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A Landmark Victory for Afghanistan

This victory is one of Afghanistan’s greatest triumphs in international cricket. Ibrahim Zadran’s historic innings and the team’s determined bowling effort ensured a famous 8-run win, keeping their semi-final hopes alive.

“We wanted to make history, and we did it today!” – Ibrahim Zadran

Afghanistan has once again proven they are a force to be reckoned with on the global stage.

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Tags: Afghanistan vs England, Ibrahim Zadran, ICC Champions Trophy, Cricket Records, Afghanistan Cricket, Joe Root, Jofra Archer, England Cricket, Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi, Azmatullah Omarzai