England’s dream of lifting the trophy came to an end after a hard-fought contest at Gaddafi Stadium.

Batting first after winning the toss, Afghanistan set a challenging target of 326 runs.

Ibrahim Zadran was the standout performer, smashing 177 runs off 146 balls, the highest individual score in Champions Trophy history.

His innings included six sixes and twelve fours.

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Meanwhile, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (6), Sediqullah Atal (4), and Rahmat Shah (4) were dismissed early, all falling to Jofra Archer.

In response, England fell just short, bowled out for 317.

Joe Root fought hard, scoring 120 runs off 111 balls with one six and eleven fours, bringing England close to victory.

However, his dismissal triggered a collapse.

Ben Duckett and Jos Buttler contributed 38 runs each, while Jamie Overton (32), Harry Brook (25), and Phil Salt (12) failed to convert their starts.

Liam Livingstone (10) and Jamie Smith (9) also struggled to make an impact.

For Afghanistan, Mohammad Nabi led the bowling attack with two wickets, while Fazalhaq Farooqi, Rashid Khan, and Gulbadin Naib claimed one wicket each.

Both teams had suffered defeats in their opening matches, making this a must-win contest.

Ahead of the match, Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi acknowledged England’s strength but remained confident, stating, “We will play with a positive mindset and expect our spinners to perform well.”

England’s captain Jos Buttler highlighted Afghanistan’s spin threat but backed his team’s pace attack to deliver.

With this victory, Afghanistan keeps its semi-final hopes alive, while England faces an early exit from the tournament.