In a thrilling Champions Trophy match, Afghanistan's Ibrahim Zadran delivered a masterful performance, scoring an outstanding 177 runs and setting a new record for the highest individual score in the tournament's history. He also became the first Afghan player to score centuries in both the World Cup and Champions Trophy. With contributions from Captain Hashmatullah Shahidi and Azamatullah Omarzai, Afghanistan finished at 325/5 after 50 overs. Now, England will need to put up a strong batting effort to stay in the tournament.
Rashid Latif, a former Pakistan cricketer, believes that Afghanistan's Rashid Khan is a greater cricketer than his own country's Wasim Akram, who is often considered one of the greatest fast bowlers of all time. Latif's assessment comes from the fact that Rashid has played a significant role in putting Afghanistan on the global cricket map, something that Wasim did not have to do for his country. However, Rashid has not had the same impact in Tests as he has had in T20 cricket, largely due to Afghanistan's weak representation in the longest format. As they prepare for the ICC Champions Trophy, starting February 19, Rashid and his team will be hoping to create a bigger impact.
In a thrilling match, UP Warriorz defeated Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), who were the defending champions, by 11 runs in the Women's Premier League (WPL). Despite suffering a top-order collapse, the Warriorz were able to turn things around thanks to some big hitting from Chinelle Henry and Grace Harris. RCB, on the other hand, struggled with their balance and desperately missed the contributions of injured all-rounder Ellyse Perry.
Former Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin has advised England's Harry Brook to watch out for Varun Chakravarthy's googlies, even in bad light. Ashwin pointed out that Brook had failed to read the googlies in the previous two T20 matches due to this oversight. This comes after Brook had made a "smog" excuse for his dismissal in the first T20I against Chakravarthy. Ashwin's valuable tip could prove useful for Brook in the remainder of the series.
In a clash between Afghanistan and England in the ICC Champions Trophy, Afghanistan's Ibrahim Zadran made history with his impressive score of 177 runs, helping his team reach a massive total of 325 for 7. Zadran also shared crucial partnerships with skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi, Azmatullah Omarzai, and Mohammad Nabi. Despite a strong effort from England's Jofra Archer, Afghanistan's dominant performance proved too much for the opposition. With this win, Afghanistan solidifies their spot in the tournament as a formidable team to watch out for.
As the ICC Champions Trophy progresses, India's decision to play all their matches in Dubai, while the rest of the teams have to travel to different venues, has been a topic of discussion. Jos Buttler, England captain, gave a subtle response when asked about the "advantage" India has. Michael Atherton and Nasser Hussain, two former cricketers and experts, have also weighed in their opinions, stating that India's schedule has given them an "undeniable advantage" over other teams.
Indian Premier League franchises that acquired stakes in The Hundred teams announced new signings for the upcoming edition of the tournament. Notable signings include Rajasthan Royals' Sanju Samson and Sunrisers Hyderabad's Rashid Khan joining Mumbai Indians' Oval Invincibles and New Zealand captain Kane Williamson joining London Spirit. Additionally, international stars such as Steven Smith, Marcus Stoinis, and Amelia Kerr have also been signed by various teams owned by IPL franchises.
Legendary Afghan cricketer Mohammad Nabi has decided to put his retirement plans on hold in order to fulfill his dream of playing international cricket alongside his teenage son, Hassan Eisakhil. Nabi, who had earlier announced his retirement from ODIs after the 2025 Champions Trophy, was instrumental in Afghanistan's recent victory against South Africa, taking two crucial wickets. The 40-year-old veteran has played a total of 305 international matches for his country and is actively involved in the franchise T20 circuit.
The arrival of former Indian skipper MS Dhoni in Chennai for the upcoming IPL 2021 has sparked speculation about his future in the Indian Premier League. Donning a t-shirt with what appears to be an encrypted message saying "ONE LAST TIME" in Morse Code, Dhoni's love affair with the Chennai Super Kings seems to be coming to an end. Despite his love for the game, Dhoni has admitted that maintaining peak fitness is becoming increasingly difficult for him at the age of 39. Fans are now left wondering whether this may be the last ride for the iconic 'Thala'.
In the 8th match of the Champions Trophy, Afghanistan post a formidable total of 325/7 with the help of Ibrahim Zadran's century. However, this loss has put Afghanistan's chances of advancing to the next round in jeopardy. England, on the other hand, are coming off a humiliating loss to Australia and will need to play a proper ODI match instead of their usual T20 approach if they want to chase down this target successfully.
In a do-or-die match, Afghanistan's Ibrahim Zadran played a stunning knock of 177 runs off just 146 deliveries against England in the ongoing Champions Trophy. Zadran's century broke several records, including the highest individual score in Champions Trophy history and the highest by an Afghanistan cricketer in international cricket. With his support, Afghanistan managed to post 325 runs on the board, setting a challenging target for England to chase. Ultimately, Zadran's unbeaten innings proved to be crucial in securing Afghanistan's victory and keeping their semi-final hopes alive.