A crucial Group B match in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 will be held today (February 26th), featuring Afghanistan and England.
Sports News: A significant Group B match in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 will take place today (February 26th) between Afghanistan and England. This match will be held at the historic Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, where a batting-friendly wicket is anticipated. The match's importance is heightened by the rain-affected cancellation of the Australia vs. South Africa match, opening up semi-final pathways for other teams in Group B.
Rashid Khan Could Create History
Afghanistan's star leg-spinner, Rashid Khan, is on the verge of a remarkable achievement. He currently has 198 wickets in 112 One Day International (ODI) matches. If he takes two wickets in this match, he will become the first Afghan bowler to reach 200 ODI wickets.
* Rashid Khan - 198 wickets
* Mohammad Nabi - 174 wickets
* Dawlat Zadran - 115 wickets
* Mujeeb Ur Rahman - 101 wickets
* Gulbadin Naib - 73 wickets
Afghanistan vs. England Head-to-Head Record
Three ODIs have been played between the two teams, with England winning twice and Afghanistan once. Notably, Afghanistan achieved a significant upset by defeating England in the 2023 ODI World Cup, boosting their confidence considerably. In neutral venues, each team has won one ODI match.
Wicket Report and Weather Forecast
The Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore is known for its batting-friendly wicket. 70 ODIs have been played at this venue, with teams batting first winning 35 times and teams chasing winning 33 times. In the current Champions Trophy, one match has been played here, where England posted a massive 351, but Australia chased it down successfully scoring 356. Therefore, a high-scoring match is anticipated today.
According to the weather department, Lahore will experience cloudy skies with a chance of light rain. The temperature is expected to reach a high of 26 degrees Celsius and a low of 16 degrees Celsius. High humidity will make conditions challenging for the players.
Probable Playing XI for AFG vs ENG
England: Jos Buttler (c), Phil Salt, Ben Duckett, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Liam Livingstone, Jofra Archer, Rehan Ahmed, Jamie Smith (wk), Adil Rashid, and Mark Wood.
Afghanistan: Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Ibrahim Zadran, Sadiqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Gulbadin Naib, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Azmatullah Omarzai, Fazalhaq Farooqi, and Noor Ahmad.
