Afghanistan’s thrilling win over England in their Champions Trophy Group B clash on February 26 left the cricketing world in awe. The Hashmatullah Shahidi-led side stunned the defending champions, keeping their semi-final hopes alive while officially eliminating England from the tournament. The match saw edge-of-the-seat action, prompting many cricketing greats, including Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar, to heap praise on Afghanistan’s spirited performance.

Opting to bat first, Afghanistan put up an imposing total of 325/7 in their 50 overs, thanks to a phenomenal knock from opener Ibrahim Zadran. The 22-year-old smashed 177 off 146 balls, anchoring Afghanistan’s innings with a masterclass in batting. His innings, laced with exquisite stroke play, ensured Afghanistan set a stiff target for England.

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England, in response, put up a fight but ultimately fell short. Despite Ben Duckett’s brilliant 100, they were bowled out for 317 in 49.5 overs. Azmatullah Omarzai was the hero with the ball, claiming a match-winning five-wicket haul (5/58) and sealing Afghanistan’s first-ever Champions Trophy win. |AFG vs ENG: Highlights|

Afghanistan’s performance earned widespread appreciation from cricketing legends. Sachin Tendulkar took to social media to praise the team’s resilience, while former Indian pacers Munaf Patel and Irfan Pathan also congratulated the side.

Pakistan legend Shoaib Akhtar went a step further, backing Afghanistan to push beyond the semi-final stage. Even former England skipper Michael Vaughan praised Afghanistan’s performance, hailing it deserving of the win over an England which was just not up to the mark.

Even former India cricketer and former Afghanistan mentor Ajay Jadeja took to his social media to congratulate Afghanistan on the win.

With England now out of the tournament, Australia, South Africa, and Afghanistan remain in contention for the two semi-final spots from Group A. Currently sitting third with one win from two games and a net run rate of 0.160, Afghanistan must beat Australia in their final group match to qualify. Meanwhile, a victory for Australia will see them and South Africa progress to the semi-finals.