New Delhi: Afghanistan secured a historic 69-run victory at the World Cup over defending champions England at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.
Chasing a target of 285 runs, England's innings were dismantled as they were bowled out for 215 in 40.3 overs. Notable performances by Afghanistan's Rashid Khan and Mujeeb Ur Rahman, who each claimed three wickets, played a pivotal role in their triumph. Rashid Khan finished with figures of 3 for 37 in 9.3 overs, while Mujeeb took 3 for 51 in 10 overs.
The win was attributed to the contributions of several Afghan players, including Naveen-Ul-Haq, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Rashid Khan, Nabi, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ikram Alikhil, and Harry Brook. England's absence of Ben Stokes was noted as a factor that may have affected their performance.
Earlier in the match, Afghanistan posted a competitive total of 284, with top-order batters Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ikram Alikhil leading the way with scores of 80 and 58, respectively. Mujeeb Ur Rehman also played a crucial role with a quickfire 28 off 16 balls. Adil Rashid was the standout bowler for England, claiming three wickets.
The cricketing world reacted to Afghanistan's remarkable win with a range of opinions. Some criticised the England cricket team for their performance, while others praised Afghanistan for their outstanding display.
Legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar commended Afghanistan's all-round effort led by a solid knock from Rahmanullah Gurbaz, highlighting that England's batters failed to read quality spinners from the hand, instead relying on reading them off the pitch.
Former cricketer Virender Sehwag expressed his view that England and Australia would face challenges in reaching the top four of the tournament.
The outcome of the match left some cricket enthusiasts and fans in shock over England's performance, with one user describing it as "absolutely shocking."
Additionally, England's loss to Afghanistan made them the first team to be defeated by all 11 Test-playing teams in the World Cup.
The cricketing community celebrated Afghanistan's victory as a significant milestone, marking the end of their 14-match losing streak in World Cup matches.
The match has implications for the tournament standings, with Afghanistan closing in on England's position in sixth place.