England's hopes of progressing in the Champions Trophy came to a screeching halt after a heart-stopping eight-run defeat at the hands of Afghanistan in Lahore. The match, which saw England require a win to stay in the tournament, turned out to be a thriller with both teams giving it their all.
Afghanistan, who have been the dark horses of the tournament, batted first and managed to put up a competitive total on the board. Their batting lineup, led by their top-order batsmen, fired on all cylinders as they took advantage of the English bowling attack.
England, who have been one of the pre-tournament favorites, started their chase on a positive note with their openers playing some sensationally attacking cricket. However, the introduction of Afghanistan's spinners changed the complexion of the game as they managed to pick up wickets at regular intervals.
Despite a valiant effort from the English middle order, they found themselves reeling at one stage, with their batsmen struggling to cope with the pressure applied by the Afghan bowlers. The English team, who have been known for their aggressive brand of cricket, found themselves in an unfamiliar situation as they struggled to rotate the strike and score boundaries.
In the end, it was a case of so near yet so far for England as they fell short of the target by a mere eight runs. The defeat marks a disappointing end to their Champions Trophy campaign, and they will now have to go back to the drawing board and regroup before their next international assignment.
Afghanistan, on the other hand, will be ecstatic about their win, which has given them a major boost in their confidence. The team, which has been making steady progress in international cricket, has shown that they are a force to be reckoned with and will be looking to build on this momentum in their future games.