Afg wins toss, elects to bat first against Afg

Afghanistan have won the toss against England, opting to bat first in Lahore. The eighth match of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 sees England take on Afghanistan at Gaddafi Stadium.

Playing XI:

England: Phil Salt, Ben Duckett, Jamie Smith (wk), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler (c), Liam Livingstone, Jamie Overton, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood

Afghanistan: Rahmatullah Gurbaz (WK), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (C), Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Prophet, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi

Both teams need to win today’s vital contest to keep their hopes of progressing alive.

Weather forecast

The weather forecast for Lahore ahead of Afghanistan vs England in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 suggests clear skies with no rain expected. Temperatures will remain in the 20s throughout the game, ensuring ideal playing conditions.

Pitch Report: Batting-Friendly Conditions Expected

The match will take place at Gaddafi Stadium, known for its batting-friendly surface. Historically, the pitch has offered little assistance to bowlers, with flat conditions favoring high scores.

The presence of dew in the second innings further tilts the balance towards batting, making it difficult for bowlers to exert significant influence.

A similar scenario unfolded in last week’s clash between England and Australia at this venue. Despite posting 351 runs, England lost the match, with Josh Inglis scoring a match-winning century for Australia. Post-match, Inglis acknowledged that dew played a crucial role in aiding the Australian batters.

With dew expected to be a factor, both Afghanistan and England are likely to prefer chasing. Given the conditions, another high-scoring encounter could be on the cards.

ODI Head-to-head record

England and Afghanistan have faced off in three ODI encounters, with England leading the rivalry 2-1.

• Matches Played: 3
• England Wins: 2
• Afghanistan Wins: 1