Zadran hits the zenith to leave sorry England down and out

After their opening defeat by Australia, England convinced themselves they were unlucky; that Lahore's lurching conditions were to blame and the signs were still good.

- Ali Martin

Instead, that bubble of positivity burst when their Champions Trophy hopes - and in all likelihood Jos Buttler's captaincy - were terminated by Afghanistan.

Though a nerve-shredding eight-run defeat that was settled only in the final over, this was no freak result, rather a form-bereft side that was simply out-willed and out-skilled on the day. Afghanistan, the team many believe should be kicked off cricket's top table, were deserved winners. As Buttler admitted afterwards, the all-conquering England side he inherited from Eoin Morgan would probably have got over the line here. But despite Joe Root's first one-day international century since those heady days - 120 from 111 balls - they stumbled in pursuit of 326 as a more varied attack turned the screw.

Azmatullah Omarzai completed the win, his five-wicket haul, and remarkable all-round performance by removing Adil Rashid with the penultimate ball. But this match was just as much settled by a first innings that exposed England's short-comings: a batter-heavy lineup that could ill afford Mark Wood sustaining a worrying knee injury.