‘England ke saath hi upset kyu hota hai’ – Fans react as Afghanistan beat defending champions England by 69 runs in ODI World Cup 2023 clash

Afghanistan cricket team secured a remarkable victory over England in the 13th match of the ongoing ODI World Cup 2023, winning by a margin of 70 runs. The match, which took place at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on Sunday, October 15, marked the first major upset of the tournament, setting the stage for an unpredictable and thrilling competition.

Talking about the match, Afghanistan had a strong start when they were asked to bat first. England’s Chris Woakes and Reece Topley struggled initially, allowing Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran to capitalize on the favourable conditions. In the first 10 overs, Afghanistan raced to 79 runs, with Gurbaz particularly dominating. 

However, their fortunes took a sharp downturn. Ibrahim Zadran was the first to be dismissed, followed by a brief stay at the crease for Rahmat Shah. Tragically, Gurbaz, who seemed unstoppable, was run out for 80 on the very next ball. The wickets continued to fall, and Afghanistan’s score went from 114/0 to 190/6. 

Brilliant bowling performance by Afghanistan

England’s spin bowlers, led by Adil Rashid, made a significant impact, and even part-timers like Liam Livingstone and Joe Root performed exceptionally. Ikram Alikhil displayed composure with the bat, keeping Afghanistan in the game. Rashid Khan and Mujeeb ur Rahman also contributed with brief cameos, supporting Alikhil’s fifty. Ultimately, Afghanistan managed to post a respectable total of 284 runs.

Chasing the target, England’s start was far from ideal, with Jonny Bairstow falling in the second over. In the seventh over, Joe Root was also dismissed, cleaned bowled out by Mujeeb, who delivered an exceptional ball. Dawid Malan, who had already settled in, was removed in the 13th over after contributing 32 runs.

While Harry Brook continued to score runs diligently, he didn’t receive any support from the other batters. England consistently started losing wickets, and the most significant setback occurred when Brook was dismissed in the 35th over on 66 runs. It was then all done for the English side as they fell short of the target by 69 runs. The magnificent spinning trio of Mujeeb, Rashid and Mohammad Nabi dismantled the England batting lineup.

Here’s how fans reacted: