Afghanistan aims to defeat England in CT 2025 inspired by WC 2023 victory

Published at: February 26, 2025 1:32 PM

Updated at: February 27, 2025 3:28 AM

Afghanistan will face England in a crucial Group B match of the 2025 Champions Trophy today at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium. The losing team will be eliminated, joining Pakistan and Bangladesh.

Under the leadership of Hashmatullah Shahidi, Afghanistan hopes to draw inspiration from their memorable 69-run victory over England in the 2023 ODI World Cup in Delhi. However, Shahidi emphasized that while the win gives them confidence, they must approach the match with a fresh mindset.

“We had a good match against England in 2023 and won. That victory boosts our confidence, but it's part of the past now. We need to focus on this game with a new mindset and strategy,” Shahidi said during the pre-match press conference.

He acknowledged England’s strength, recognizing the tough challenge ahead. Despite this, he assured that Afghanistan has prepared well and is ready to give their best.

“England is one of the top teams, so it’s a tough match. But we’ve worked hard to reach this point, and we are determined to play each game with a positive attitude. We’ll take confidence from our World Cup win, but tomorrow is a new day, and we will do our best to beat them again,” Shahidi added.

Afghanistan’s Champions Trophy 2025 campaign did not start as hoped, as they were defeated by South Africa by 107 runs at the National Stadium in Karachi last week.