A struggling England must secure a win against Afghanistan in their crucial group B Champions Trophy match on Wednesday to keep their tournament hopes alive. Both teams face elimination risks if defeated, as South Africa and Australia have already secured points.
England’s dominance in limited-overs cricket has diminished significantly. The former world champions struggled defensively, failing to protect a substantial 350-plus total against Australia in their opening match.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!
Whilst England managed an impressive score, it came against an Australian side missing their key fast bowlers – Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood. The English bowling attack proved ineffective against an Australian batting lineup lacking injured Mitchell Marsh and retired Marcus Stoinis.
England need substantial improvements in both departments against Afghanistan. Afghanistan’s formidable spin trio of Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad and Mohammad Nabi poses a significant threat. England’s recent performances against spin bowling have been concerning.
England faced another setback with Brydon Carse’s tournament exit due to toe injury. Leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed joins as his replacement, bolstering their spin options. This addition supports Adil Rashid effectively, as previously Liam Livingstone handled spin duties with his varied bowling style.
England face concerns regarding Phil Salt and Harry Brook’s inconsistent performances. Salt’s sole century in this format dates to 2022, with the opener frequently departing after scoring between 30 and 40 runs.
Brook’s performance pattern mirrors this trend. Despite impressive showing in home ODIs versus Australia last year, including a century and two fifties. However, Brook’s confidence against spin has wavered since touring India, evidenced by his dismissal to Adam Zampa recently. The 26-year-old faces a significant challenge against Afghanistan’s skilled spinners.
Afghanistan confront their own challenges following a 107-run defeat to South Africa in their opening match.
Despite reaching the T20 World Cup 2024 semifinals with similar personnel, ODI cricket demands sustained excellence in performance and strategy execution.
Whilst Afghanistan possesses talent, they must demonstrate consistency to challenge England, despite the latter’s current vulnerabilities.
Teams (from):
- Afghanistan: Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Ikram Alikhil, Gulbadin Naib, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Nangyal Kharoti, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Farid Malik, Naveed Zadran. Reserves: Darwish Rasooli, Bilal Sami.
- England:
Jos Buttler (c), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Tom Banton, Harry Brook, Rehan Ahmed, Ben Duckett, Jamie Overton, Jamie Smith, Liam Livingstone, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Saqib Mahmood, Phil Salt, Mark Wood. - Match starts at 2:30 pm IST.
