Follow Mail Sport’s live blog as England face off against Afghanistan in their third match of the Cricket World Cup at Arun Jaitley Cricket Stadium, New Delhi.
WICKET! England 138/6 after 27 overs: Rashid is in excellent form, consistently troubling Brook. He was frustrated when he managed to get away with just a single off a misfield last over, but he’s off strike again here.
27.1 overs: WICKET! That’s why Nabi was brought on. He forces Curran forward on his first ball, and he’s caught at slip. Curran continues to struggle with the bat for England, and it seems like his team is heading towards defeat.
50 up for Brook, England at 134/5 after 26 overs: A well-deserved half-century for Harry Brook. He played a crucial role with 45 balls, and his team needed him. I just hope he doesn’t get dropped when Stokes returns, although it seems likely.
Halfway point – England at 132/5 after 25 overs: England is falling behind in terms of the run rate and losing wickets. The pressure is on Harry Brook now, as he shoulders a significant responsibility.
A lot on Brook’s shoulders – 129/5 after 22 overs: Harry Brook carries a significant burden now. He almost needs to bat throughout the entire innings. He continues to impress with his cuts, playing a different game compared to the rest of the team.
23 overs: Just one run from Rashid’s latest over. He’s doing a great job controlling the game.
24 overs: Nabi is back against left-hander Sam Curran. Curran manages to score three runs.
Rashid flying – England at 119/5 after 21 overs: Sam Curran is the new batsman, with an ODI average of 22. He needs to step up and prove himself as an all-rounder. However, he struggled to read Rashid’s googly, resulting in his dismissal.
WICKET! England at 117/5 after 20.4 overs: Sigh. Livingstone is hit right in front, and he’s out. Rashid has sent it upstairs, but there’s no need, as the technology confirms it’s out. England is on the verge of defeat – not a good situation at all.
Harry Brook playing nicely – England at 115/4 after 19 overs: Brook misses Rashid’s googly, but somehow manages to edge it onto his own pad. Rashid seems to be having trouble gripping the ball due to the dew, which may work in England’s favor.
20 overs: Azmat is the sixth bowler to come on. England manages to score seven runs from his over.
100 up for England – England at 105/4 after 18 overs: Liam Livingstone is the new batsman. He confidently walks down the pitch on his first ball, which is a no-ball. He manages to hit it for four. A great shot from Brook through the covers brings up England’s hundred.
WICKET! England at 91/4 after 17.2 overs: Buttler goes, playing all around the ball. Naveen has been bowling well and manages to get it to nip in, leaving Buttler with no chance.
Rashid Khan is on – England at 90/3 after 17 overs: Rashid Khan comes on to bowl. England has struggled against leg spin since 2019, but let’s not forget how Eoin Morgan dominated him in the last World Cup. Both teams know what to expect, but Rashid’s ODI stats aren’t fantastic.
The pressure remains – England at 82/3 after 16 overs: Under Eoin Morgan and Ben Stokes, England’s philosophy has been to keep attacking no matter what. However, they aren’t following that strategy here, even with aggressive batters like Buttler, Brook, Livingstone, and Curran to come. It’s proving difficult to score runs for England.
Brook edges a boundary – England at 69/3 after 14 overs: Brook manages to edge the ball for a boundary, but follows it up with a punch down the ground. Runs are becoming hard to come by for England.
Trying to get to grips with the situation – England at 69/3 after 14 overs: England needs to play exceptionally well to win this match. Rashid is yet to come, and England doesn’t have many batsmen left. Naveen bowls a maiden, putting more pressure on England.
15 overs: Buttler narrowly misses his own stumps. The required run rate is more than a run per ball.
England in trouble again – England at 69/3 after 13 overs: Nabi bowls a fantastic delivery that spins a lot, catching Malan off guard. Malan chips it to cover, and England is in trouble once again. Jos Buttler is the next batsman, and England needs a captain’s innings from him.
WICKET! England at 68/3 after 12.4 overs: Mohammad Nabi comes on to bowl. He has an impressive record and has played in every Afghanistan ODI. An appeal for a catch behind, but it’s off the pad.
Naveen into the attack – England at 66/2 after 11 overs: Naveen comes on to bowl. Root tickles the first ball for four, showcasing his expertise.
Honours even at the end of the powerplay – England at 52/2 after 9 overs: Mujeeb bowls five wides off the second ball, giving England a much-needed boost. The powerplay ends with England at 52/2.
The strength of Afghanistan’s attack – England at 36/2 after 8 overs: I must say, I’m incredibly impressed by Afghanistan’s bowling attack. Fazal has been outstanding in this innings, and I thought he might be the weak link. Naveen, Rashid, and Nabi are all highly experienced. This won’t be an easy chase for England.
WICKET! England at 33/2 after 7 overs: I was just admiring Root’s boundary when he gets bowled by Mujeeb. The ball kept low, and it’s a moment of ecstasy for Afghanistan. Harry Brook is the next batsman.
WICKET! England at 33/2 after 7 overs: Fazal is on a roll! Bairstow is given out, and he decides to review the decision. It looks pretty good to me, swinging in and hitting the leg stump. The review confirms it, Bairstow is out. England off to a rough start.
England up against it – England at 19/1 after 5 overs: Malan survives a close LBW call. Things are getting tense, and England is up against it.
Joe Root in at three – England at 12/1 after 3 overs: Joe Root comes in to bat. A less-than-ideal start for England. On a positive note, Root confidently hits a four off his first ball.
WICKET! England at 3/1 after 1.1 overs: Bairstow is given out. He reviews the decision, but it doesn’t look promising. The ball is swinging in, and the left-arm bowler has done the trick. Bairstow is out, and England loses an early wicket.
One over: Mujeeb opens the bowling. He may be a spinner, but he bowls faster than the average spinner. Bairstow and Malan manage to score two quick singles, getting England off the mark.
England to start their innings: Here we go! Bairstow and Malan are out in the middle, ready to start England’s innings. Mujeeb will open the bowling for Afghanistan.
A tough chase for England: England will have their work cut out for them in this chase. Afghanistan’s bowling attack, featuring Rashid, Nabi, Mujeeb, and Naveen, is quite formidable. Dawid Malan and Jonny Bairstow will need to start strong and set a solid foundation for England’s innings.
England set 285 to win: Afghanistan has set a target of 285 runs for England to win the match. It’s a challenging task, especially considering Afghanistan’s impressive bowling attack. Hasmat mentioned that…
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