NEW DELHI: Afghanistan pulled off a stunning 69-run win over defending champions England at the World Cup on Sunday, their second ever win in the tournament lifting them off the bottom of the group standings. Afghanistan came into the match having lost 16 of their last 17 World Cup games, their only victory coming against Scotland in 2015. Put into bat, Afghanistan posted 284 after a blistering knock of 80 from opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz and a half-century from Ikram Alikhil. Gurbaz looked well set for a World Cup century having smashed eight fours and four sixes, but the 21-year-old was run out by substitute David Willey at midwicket when skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi called him for a risky run. “I told the boys that 280-290 was enough on this track as it would assist the spinners,” Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi said.

Source: Pakistan Today October 15, 2023 20:53 UTC