Delhi, India – Afghanistan pulled off a major upset at the 2023 Cricket World Cup on Sunday, defeating defending champions England by 69 runs at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.
Afghanistan batted first and posted a competitive total of 284, thanks to half-centuries from Rahmanullah Gurbaz (80) and Najibullah Zadran (56). England’s bowlers struggled to contain the Afghan batsmen, with only Liam Livingstone (2 wickets) and Adil Rashid (1 wicket) picking up wickets.
In reply, England were bowled out for 215 in 40 overs, with only Harry Brook (67) and Jos Buttler (43) offering any resistance. Afghanistan’s spinners were particularly effective, with Mujeeb Ur Rahman taking 3 wickets and Rashid Khan taking 2 wickets.
The victory was Afghanistan’s second ever win in a Cricket World Cup, and their first against England. It was also a major setback for England, who are one of the favorites to win the tournament.
In his post-match interview, Afghanistan captain Mohammad Nabi said: “This is a huge victory for us. We have been working hard for a long time, and it is finally paying off. We are very proud of our performance today.”
England captain Jos Buttler said: “We are disappointed with the result today. We didn’t bowl or bat as well as we could have. We need to learn from our mistakes and come back stronger in our next game.”
Afghanistan’s victory is a reminder that any team can beat anyone on their day at the Cricket World Cup. It will be interesting to see how England respond to this defeat, but Afghanistan will be looking to build on their momentum and continue to surprise their opponents.
