Rahmanullah Gurbaz (80), Rashid Khan (3-37) and Mujeeb Ur Rahman (3-51) starred for Afghanistan as they secured a historic victory over England; Adil Rashid's 3-42 - his best figures at the tournament - was in vain as England failed in their chase of 285, all out for 215
Monday 16 October 2023 06:11, UK
England's World Cup hopes were hit by a shock 69-run defeat to Afghanistan in Delhi on Sunday - one of the biggest upsets in the tournament's history.
It is just the second-ever victory for Afghanistan in this competition, after beating Scotland eight years ago, but they were deserved winners on a day where humbled defending champions England looked far from contenders to retain their crown.
Chris Woakes (0-41) and Sam Curran (0-46) were taken apart during their four overs with the ball and will have their places in the side come into question, while Ben Stokes' return from injury can't come soon enough for a side badly lacking in inspiration.
Harry Brook (66) showed his team-mates how to bat on this relatively kind surface and pushed his case to remain in the XI when Stokes comes back, and Adil Rashid (3-42) recorded his personal best World Cup bowling figures. But those personal milestones were mere footnotes to a disastrous team display.
Saturday's showdown with South Africa has turned into a must-win match for Jos Buttler's ailing side - but they will need to somehow come up with a transformation in their performance levels to trouble the so-far perfect Proteas.
England have now lost two of their first three in India and, sitting fifth in the standings, have a big task on their hands to make the final four. It was all smiles for Afghanistan, though, who can reflect on a historic achievement driven by their young stars.
Put in to bat, Afghanistan made an electric start, with 21-year-old Rahmanullah Gurbaz smacking four sixes for a superb 80 before he was left fuming when his captain Hashmatullah Shahidi called him through for a run which wasn't on.
But the groundwork had been laid and while 114-0 turned into 152-4 and Afghanistan ultimately fell short of their pre-match target of passing 300, a half-century from Ikram Alikhil (58) and cameos from Rashid Khan (23) and 22-year-old Mujeeb Ur Rahman (28) took them to 284 all out from 49.5 overs.
England's chase never got going. Jonny Bairstow (2) fell in the first over of an impressive opening spell from Fazalhaq Farooqi before Mujeeb struck from the other end, nipping a speedy googly under the bat of Joe Root to leave England 33-2.
Dawid Malan came up with some resistance and was beginning to find some fluidity as he moved to 32 - but his innings was abruptly halted by a mis-timed shot off Mohammad Nabi's bowling. The Afghan's skill was plain to see on his 150th ODI appearance.
England needed their captain Buttler to step forward and deliver but Naveen-ul-Haq's inswinger darted through the gate and smashed into his stumps to sound alarm bells for England who were four down and still nine shy of three figures.
While their senior players failed, 24-year-old Brook smoked back-to-back fours in the same over Buttler departed as a statement of intent and would go on to capitalise - something he hasn't been able to do in the first two games of this competition. But with Liam Livingstone (10) and Curran (10) falling cheaply at the other end a historic defeat was on the cards.
Woakes (9) could make no amends with the bat, bowled by Mujeeb moments after surviving a lbw review, and when the same bowler had Brooks nick behind the end was nigh.
Adil Rashid (20), Mark Wood (18) and Reece Topley (15 not out) tried to salvage some pride but Afghan superstar Rashid Khan took the last two wickets to seal a night to remember for his country - and a night to forget for England.
England were sloppy from the first delivery, a wide one from Woakes which went through Buttler's legs and to the boundary, and the Warwickshire all-rounder's tough start to this tournament continued with Gurbaz hitting him for six in his second over after Bairstow's error allowed another four.
Gurbaz continued to hammer Woakes in his third and after conceding 31 from that opening spell, Buttler had seen enough. He'd later return for just one more over.
His replacement Curran got similar treatment, with Ibrahim Zadran sending him to the rope to bring up the 50 partnership off 43 balls as Afghanistan made a fast start.
Curran went for 20 off his next, with Gurbaz punishing three consecutive balls, including a crunching six which forced yet another change of bowling. England were struggling to find answers.
Afghanistan had raced to their highest powerplay score at a World Cup when they reached 79 off their first 10 and a relentless Gurbaz - who passed 50 from 33 deliveries with a sweep off Rashid - welcomed Wood to the game with a wonderfully steered six over third man. Rashid went a similar distance over midwicket and the Afghans were past 100 with just 13 overs bowled.
England's problems were compounded when Topley was temporarily forced off after diving in vain to prevent another Gurbaz boundary. But a sudden Afghan collapse seemed to swing the momentum of the match.
Rashid had been the only England bowler to get a foothold to that point and was rewarded when Ibrahim mis-timed a shot to give Root a simple catch at midwicket for the all-important breakthrough. It was a fine delivery which brought his second, too good for Rahmat Shah who was swiftly stumped by Buttler for 3.
Then came the key moment in the innings: Afghanistan skipper Hashmatullah calling through Gurbaz for a run which was never on. The young opener was furious as he trudged off, slamming his bat against the boundary rope and then against a chair. His innings had been wonderfully crafted, his downfall a calamity.
Three wickets had fallen for eight runs and, with Livingstone keeping the pressure on, the dangerous-looking Azmat Omarzai - who had ended Woakes' brief return with a thumping six in the previous over - was the next to go, towering one to under-pressure Woakes who took some solace with the catch.
Ikram smacked a big six off a shocking short one from Root but the England man recovered well to bowl Hashmatullah for 14 with a beauty and then caught Mohammad Nabi (9) as Wood hit top gear and Afghanistan struggled towards 200.
They got there with the help of a crucial knock from Ikram, aided by Rashid, before their 43-run stand was ended by an excellent catch on the rope from Root to dismiss the latter and take England's Rashid to his tournament-best figures.
Mujeeb came out swinging in response and a devastating 4-4-6 smash-session ended a brief and expensive return from Curran and took his team past 250 before Ikram notched his impressive half-century with an unorthodox flap to send a Wood ball over Buttler.
A big six off Topley in the next over was more representative of Ikram's fine innings but Topley got his revenge when the batter didn't connect so cleanly later in the over before Root took his fourth catch of the innings from the next delivery as Wood stopped Mujeeb at 28 off 16.
It was a double blow which all-but ended Afghanistan's hopes of making it to 300, with Naveen-ul-Haq run out with a ball to spare. But the real damage was to come from the Afghan bowlers, who upset their more illustrious opponents in a match which will be remembered for years to come.
England captain Jos Buttler: "This is a tough loss to take but congratulations to Afghanistan. They outplayed us.
"With the bat and ball throughout the game we were not at the level we wanted to be at. We have to be better. You have to find ways to impose yourselves and show your skill. We weren't quite good enough.
"Having won the toss and elected to field, the ball down the leg-side first ball set the tone. It was really disappointing.
"You have to let these defeats hurt. There is no point trying to move on very quickly although you have to do it as quick as you can. Let it hurt and then reflect on the things that need to be better. We must show some real resilience.
"We have character. We have been through lots of good times and some tough times as well so we will come back fighting."
Player of the Match, Mujeeb Ur Rahman: "It's a very proud moment to be here and beating the champions. It's a great achievement for the whole nation and the whole team.
"I've been bowling more in the nets and trying to bowl stump to stump to make it harder. I'm really enjoying my bowling at the moment.
"This trophy is for the people who were affected by the earthquake in Afghanistan. It's dedicated to them."
Afghanistan skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi: "I am quite happy. This was the best win we have got and the confidence will be there for the next game. The whole country will be proud. The belief is there, the trust is there and the talent is also there. This was the first win, not the last win."
England are next in action against South Africa on Saturday in Mumbai.
On Monday, Australia and Sri Lanka will look to claim their first points of the competition when they meet in Lucknow.
Once again, coverage starts at 9am on Sky Sports Cricket ahead of the first ball at 9.30am.
