Match 8 - ODI

Over 49.5: OUT! CAUGHT! AFGHANISTAN HAVE DONE IT! AND ENGLAND ARE KNOCKED OUT OF THE CHAMPIONS TROPHY 2025! Azmatullah Omarzai is the superstar as he picks up a five-wicket haul in their must-win match. He bowls this slightly fuller, around off, Adil Rashid has to swing at it and he does so but mistimes it and gets it through the outer half of the bat. The ball goes high in the air towards long off where Ibrahim Zadran backtracks a bit and takes it with his outstretched hands to his right. AFGHANISTAN WIN BY 8 RUNS.

Adil Rashid - 0 runs (7 balls)

Over 48.5: OUT! CAUGHT! ENGLAND ARE NINE DOWN! AFGHANISTAN NEED JUST ONE NOW! Fazalhaq Farooqi is bowling cleverly here as he takes the pace off, rolls his fingers and serves it on a good length just outside off, Jofra Archer mistimes his shot as he looks to slog it down the ground. The ball catches the upper part of the bat and goes in the air towards long on where the much experienced Mohammad Nabi takes it with both hands at his chest height yet again. England are 313/9. They need 13 off the last seven balls.

Jofra Archer - 0 runs (8 balls)

Over 47.5: OUT! CAUGHT! AZMATULLAH OMARZAI IS TURNING THIS GAME ON ITS HEAD! He picks up his fourth wicket of the evening as he bowls a slower ball again, a bit fuller, around off, Jamie Overton clears out his front leg and looks to thump it down the ground. He gets deceived by the lack of pace and mistimes this towards long on where Mohammad Nabi makes no mistakes as he pouches it with both hands at his chest height. England are 309/8 and they need 17 off the last 13 balls.

Jamie Overton - 0 runs (28 balls)

Over 47.2: FOUR! BOUNDARY UNDER PRESSURE! Back of a length, touch outside off, with pace off again, Jamie Overton gets inside of the line of the ball and pulls it along the ground to deep mid-wicket for a boundary. Ibrahim Zadran overruns it and again a sloppy effort in the field from Afghanistan.

Jamie Overton - 4 runs (26 balls)

Over 46.5: 300 comes up for England! A low full toss again from Fazalhaq Farooqi outside off, Jamie Overton opens the face of the bat and drills it in the gap towards deep point. The fielder Sediqullah Atal makes a fumble there in collecting the ball properly and the batters run through for the second.

Jamie Overton - 2 runs (24 balls)

Over 46.3: FOUR! EDGED AND BOUNDARY! Slower length ball, around middle, Jofra Archer comes down the track and gets deceived by the lack of pace but goes for the pull shot and gets an inside edge as the ball passes the leg stump and goes for a boundary at deep fine leg. Azmatullah Omarzai gives it a chase but fails to stop the boundary.

Jofra Archer - 4 runs (3 balls)

Over 45.6: FOUR! WHAT A WAY TO GET OFF THE MARK! Hard length and outside off, Jofra Archer stands tall and crashes it absolutely in the gap towards backward point for a boundary. They need 35 now.

Jofra Archer - 4 runs (1 balls)

Over 45.5: OUT! CAUGHT BEHIND! AFGHANISTAN'S PLAYERS ARE PUMPED UP AS JOE ROOT IS GONE! Azmatullah Omarzai breaks the partnership again as he has got the dangerous man. He changes his pace again, a bit slower and hits the deck hard, back of a length, around off. Joe Root waits for it, makes room by going to the leg side, and opens the face of the bat off late to guide it towards third man but he manages to get a thick outside edge only. The ball goes towards the keeper where Rahmanullah Gurbaz moves to his right and takes it with both hands. End of a fine knock from Root but England are now 7 down and they need 39 off the last 25 balls.

Joe Root - 0 runs (111 balls)

Over 45.3: FOUR! PURE CLASS! Slower length ball, around middle Joe Root checks his shot because of the lack of pace and drags it by pulling it along the ground to deep square leg for a boundary.

Joe Root - 4 runs (109 balls)

Over 44.1: SIX! What a time to get your first six of the game and what a way to do it as well, unbelievable. Banged into the deck a bit and well outside off, Farooqi saw Joe Root walking across but Root brings out the scoop, doesn't even have his eyes on the ball when the connection is made but gets it off the middle of the bat and over fine leg for a biggie.

Joe Root - 6 runs (106 balls)

Over 42.2: FOUR! Around the wicket now and Overton picks up another boundary. Yet again, it is short but just not short enough, over middle, enough time for Overton to wait back and short-arm jab it well in front of square for four more runs.

Jamie Overton - 4 runs (12 balls)

Over 42.1: FOUR! Just the start to the over England would have wanted. Short of a length around le, sitting right up, Overton waits well and pulls it firmly and well behind square leg, into the gap for a boundary.

Jamie Overton - 4 runs (11 balls)

Over 41.4: A tad short on middle, it is the googly that Root picks and taps it down long on for a single. 250 up for England.

Joe Root - 1 runs (99 balls)

Over 41.2: A single and up comes the HUNDRED FOR JOE ROOT! A long wait for his 17th ODI ton, his first one since 2019 but could turn out to be one of the most important ones of his career. Flighted up on the stumps, Root leans on and clips it away through square leg for a single. Top knock this!

Joe Root - 1 runs (98 balls)

Over 40.1: FOUR! Joe Root has it all to do and is keeping England alive for now. Fractionally short over off, Root rocks back and pulls it away well wide of long on and for a boundary.

Joe Root - 4 runs (93 balls)

Over 38.4: OUT! EDGED AND GONE! The on-air commentators talked about Gulbadin Naib having that X-factor and wanted him to bowl and their wish has been finally granted and Naib does get the breakthrough for his side in his first over. Slower one, bowled into the pitch and around the fifth stump line, Liam Livingstone stays upright and goes hard at the cut but only manages to get the outside edge which is gobbled up by Rahmanullah Gurbaz to his right. Naib brings out the signature celebration and England are now 6 down with still 93 runs needed for the win.

Liam Livingstone - 0 runs (8 balls)

Over 38.2: FOUR! Sheer timing! Back of a length again and just outside off, Livingstone presses back slightly and just punches it away behind point as the ball rolls away to the fence.

Liam Livingstone - 4 runs (6 balls)

Over 37.6: FOUR! Joe Root holds the key for England and he moves into the 90s now. Flatter and angled across off, Root brings out the reverse sweep and hammers it in between backward point and short third for a timely boundary.

Joe Root - 4 runs (90 balls)

Over 36.6: FOUR! Streaky! Banged in on a hard length around off, Liam Livingstone looks to block but gets squared up and the ball flies off the outside edge and runs away fine into the deep third fence.

Liam Livingstone - 4 runs (1 balls)

Over 36.5: OUT! CAUGHT! Azmatullah Omarzai, the ICC Men's ODI Cricketer of the Year for 2024 gets the big breakthrough and Jos Buttler has thrown it away. Azmat bowls a heavy bumper over middle and gets the height and line just correct. Buttler looks to take it on but isn't quite in control of the extra bounce and ends up hitting it over square leg. Rahmat Shah comes in from the deep and takes a simple catch as Buttler departs for 38 (42) and England are now 216/5!

Jos Buttler - 0 runs (42 balls)