Will England Be Out Of Champions Trophy 2025 If They Lose Against Afghanistan?

Jos Buttler and Mark Wood [Source: AP Photos]

England are battling for survival in the Champions Trophy 2025. Jos Buttler and his men are taking on Afghanistan at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore and are currently not in the best of positions. 

Notably, Afghanistan won the toss for the game and opted to bat first. Jofra Archer gave England a brilliant start as he ran through the Afghan top order and had them reeling at 37/3 within the ninth over.

However, after this, Hashmatullah Shahidi and Ibrahim Zadran stitched together a partnership of 103 runs and brought Afghanistan back into the game. Even after Shahidi's dismissal, Zadran continued his good work.

At the end of the innings, Zadran scored 177 runs off 146 balls, and his innings ensured that Afghanistan gave England a formidable target of 326 runs.  If Afghanistan can pick up a couple of early wickets, there is a chance that England might lose the game. So, how will the defeat impact England's journey - 

Will England Be Eliminated From The Tournament After Losing Against Afghanistan?

Table - Champions Trophy Group B Points Table Before ENG vs AFG Match

If England lose the match against Afghanistan, they will have only one match left in the league stage against South Africa. A defeat in this game also means that they will have 0 points before starting the game against the Proteas.

So, if England defeats South Africa, then also they will have only two points. With South Africa and Australia already having three points under their belt, England would have no chance of making it to the top four. 

The calculation should be in the minds of the English team mangement. They would want their players to bring the best out of themsleves in the second innings and pick up the much needed win to stay alive in the tournament.

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