The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 is set to witness another thrilling encounter today, promising excitement for cricket fans. This Group B match will feature Afghanistan taking on England in Lahore. With the South Africa vs Australia match being washed out due to rain, the semi-final hopes for both Afghanistan and England are still alive. Both teams will be eager to secure their first victory, as they lost their opening matches in the tournament. The match is scheduled to begin at 2:30 PM IST.
Afghanistan’s fans are hoping for an upset, as their team defeated England in the last ODI World Cup. Hashmatullah Shahidi will lead Afghanistan, while Jos Buttler will captain the England side.
Head-to-Head Record in ODIs
Before this Champions Trophy 2025 clash, let’s look at the head-to-head record between Afghanistan and England in ODI cricket. The two teams have faced each other only three times in ODI history. England has won two matches, while Afghanistan claimed victory once, defeating England in the ODI World Cup held in India. On neutral venues, they have played two ODIs, with each team winning one game. Given the presence of top-class players in both squads, this match is expected to be a highly competitive one.
AFG vs ENG Pitch Report – Lahore Stadium
The Lahore pitch is expected to favor slower bowlers, which could pose a challenge for England’s batters. Afghanistan boasts world-class spinners like Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, and Mohammad Nabi, who can trouble any batting lineup. However, Lahore is also known as a paradise for batters.
Lahore Pitch Statistics:
- A total of 75 ODIs have been played here.
- The team batting first has won 37 times, while the chasing team has won 36 times.
- The average first-innings score is 255, while the second-innings average is 220.
- The highest total on this ground is 375/3, scored by Pakistan against Zimbabwe in 2015.
- England recently lost a match here despite scoring 351 runs.
- Due to dew in the evening, bowling can become difficult, so teams winning the toss may prefer to bowl first.
Also Read- AFG vs ENG Dream11 Prediction Today Match
Weather Report
Lahore experienced rain on Tuesday (February 25), and there is a possibility of rain affecting today’s match as well. According to AccuWeather, the temperature is expected to be around 25°C. Light sunshine is expected until 2 PM, with a 7% chance of rain during the day and a 25% chance of rain at night. This means fans might not get to witness a full game.
With Afghanistan’s strong spin attack and England’s powerful batting lineup, today’s match promises to be an exciting battle.
