Once ODI masters, England face uncertainty

The eight-run victory that knocked England out of the Champions Trophy on Wednesday wasn't the first time Afghanistan had punched above their weight on the big stage.

- Sanjjeev K Samyal [e-mail]

MUMBAI:

They had accounted for New Zealand and Australia on their way to the 2024 T20 World Cup semi-finals, and in the 2023 World Cup in India, they had prevailed over England and Pakistan. Afghanistan will battle it out against Australia in a must-win game for both teams on Friday.

In white-ball cricket, the fortunes of England and Afghanistan are a study in contrast. While Afghanistan's exploits have helped them gain the giant slayers' tag, England are struggling to put a foot right at the moment. With back-to-back defeats in Group B, first against Australia when they could not defend 352, and then against Afghanistan, England have now lost 12 of 16 ODIs since the 2023 World Cup. It's not just the ICC events, they have also lost their last four bilateral series.

Afghanistan's cricket was showcased to the world through the rise of Rashid Khan. The world has since come to know about the abundance of riches Afghanistan possesses. The team now boasts of some technically sound batters such as openers Ibrahim Zadran and Rahmanullah Gurbaz, and a sharp pace attack led by Fazalhaq Farooqi and Azmatullah Omarzai.