Champions Trophy 2025: Top 3 talking points from Afghanistan’s campaign 

World Cricket always loves a team that punches above its weight and for long Afghanistan has been that side. After their stellar show in the 2023 ODI World Cup, Afghanistan qualified for the Champions Trophy tournament. None of the cricket fans were surprised with this as the Afghan have always been improving with each tournament. 

In 2024, Afghanistan had played stunning cricket to qualify for the T20 World Cup Semi-finals. One of the biggest stumbling blocks came when Afghans were placed in a tough group which also had South Africa, Australia. and England. The Afghans though have had success against all three teams. 

Hasmatullah Shahidi and his side had beaten South Africa in an ODI series late last year. They had also beaten England in the 2023 ODI World Cup match in Delhi by 69 runs. Afghanistan had also beaten Australia last year in the T20 World Cup and made it to the final four stages at their expense. 

Here are the top 3 talking points from Afghanistan’s Champions Trophy campaign

Injury to key players hurt the balance 

Before the tournament, Afghanistan were given a huge blow when Allah Ghazanfar was ruled out of the campaign. The young spin sensation had spoken about one of the best players to watch out for from Afghanistan. The youngster had to miss the entire tournament after suffering an injury that will see him also miss IPL 2025 for Mumbai Indians. Naveen Ul Haq was another player who could have done well and provided the right kind of support for Fazalhaq Farooqi with the ball. Naveen is not only crucial with the new ball but also bowls with the old ball.

Azmatullah Omarzai impresses everyone with his all-round skills 

Young all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai was impressive not just with the bat but also with the ball. Omarzai scored key runs in the middle order in the game against England and Australia. With the ball, Omarzai picked a fifer in the game against England to help his side win the game. Omarzai is set to be a huge star in the future for his side and the Champions Trophy has shown his unlimited talent with the bat and ball.

Batting talents of Ibrahim Zadran 

Young opener Ibrahim Zadran stunned the world with his brilliant century against England. The right-handed batter scored 177 runs to record the highest ever individual total in the history of the tournament. In the next few years, Zadran along with his opening partner Rahmanullah Gurbaz will be key players at the top of the order for Afghanistan. Zadran in particular makes batting look easy when he gets into his full flow. 

Disclaimer: This Exclusive News is based on the author’s understanding, analysis, and instinct. As you review this information, consider the points mentioned and form your own conclusions.

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