Afghanistan shocked England in a thrilling encounter on February 26 during the Champions Trophy 2025. Fans had assumed that England, a heavyweight of international cricket, would run away with the game. Still, Afghanistan pulled off a historic victory and showcased its talent on the world stage.
What happened to England’s cricket team? How did a team stacked with star players struggle against Afghanistan’s fearless cricket? These are the 10 key reasons that explain England’s shock defeat in this major cricket upset.
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Underestimating Afghanistan
However, Afghanistan had beaten the English before, sure, in the 2023 ODI World Cup in India. In other words, one of England’s biggest mistakes in the Champions Trophy 2025 was not respecting the other small things. Even England itself was doubted to face any challenge with a cricket expert predicting them to whitewash. But Afghanistan arrived with a good game plan. They showed no fear in their cricket, taking the fight to England’s bowlers from the outset. The Afghanistan team batted with total confidence, showcasing aggressive intent paired with intelligent game awareness. Rather than approaching the match with the formality of a high-stakes contest, England was too casual. It was this complacency which was their undoing as Afghanistan seized the opportunity with both hands.
But that overconfidence can lead to bad decision-making and it fell into the trap in England’s approach. And their team selection, strategies, and batting order suggested they were not treating Afghanistan like a serious threat. But Afghanistan’s desire to earn respect swung the game their way.
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Poor Batting Performance
England lost because its batting fell apart. Known for their ability to power-hitting, England’s top order imploded early, putting the pressure on the middle order. Afghanistan’s bowlers stuck to their plans well enough that England had to go into defensive mode. Chasing or even putting a competitive total was without a solid base a struggle for England. Some unfocused shots, indifferent shot selection, and inability to rotate strike resulted in one of the poorest batting displays by an England side in recent tournaments.
Big names like Joe Root, Jos Buttler, and Jonny Bairstow couldn’t build a foundation. The absence of partnerships left England’s score below par, allowing Afghanistan to dominate the game more easily.
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Struggles against spin bowling
England’s inability to play spin was laid bare once more. The game was dominated by Afghanistan’s spinners Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, and Mohammad Nabi. England’s batters seemed bereft of ideas, unable to rotate the strike or create partnerships. They kept losing wickets by not learning and playing rash shots. Such was Afghanistan’s spin bowling dominance that England never had any answers.
Moreover, England has struggled against spin before. In past ICC championships, slow bowling has been their nemesis, loss to spinners denying them vital victories. It was a tactical mistake for them not to come up with a solid game plan against Rashid Khan and Mujeeb.
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Mismatch with Adaptation of Pitch Conditions
And contrary to the flat pitches in the recently concluded Champions Trophy 2025 where pace and bounce would have added spice to an otherwise dull surface, the Asian Cup pitches will aid slow bowlers. Afghanistan changed the way they played, yet England failed to adapt. Instead of biding their time, England’s batters played reckless shots and hit themselves out cheaply. If you wanted to be a little cleverer — not to say that they batter like Afghanistan did. England’s failure to read the pitch cost them the game.
Good cricket teams study the pitch and adjust their plans factory. England’s inflexibility and failure to gauge pitch behavior cost them the title.
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Losing Wickets During the Powerplay
Powerplay is that evergreen part of modern cricket and with England, it was crooked from the outset. Afghanistan’s pacers bowled with precision and took out key England batters early. England never settled after that early blow and struggled to reassert control. An ineffective powerplay left England’s middle order needing to rebuild rather than up the tempo.
Moving forward, Teams that suffer two or more wickets in the powerplay generally find it hard to post big totals. England’s stumble placed too much pressure on their lower-order batters.
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Aggressive Batting From Afghanistan
Afghanistan’s fearless approach to batting forced England back on its heels. Rahmanullah Gurbaz and several of their other important players looked confident as they attacked England’s bowlers fearlessly. Their attacking approach swung the balance of power, putting a competitive score on the board. The Afghan batters found gaps rotated the strike and played smartly, leaving England’s bowlers stumped.
Afghanistan, on the other hand, read the conditions well and constructed their innings smartly, unlike England. Their timing of acceleration at all the right times helped them earn a strong total.
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Poor Spell of Bowling from England
England’s bowlers were unable to claim key wickets at decisive times. Their pacers found no movement, and their spinners were inaccurate. Afghanistan’s batters attacked loose deliveries, ensuring that the scoreboard kept ticking. In the absence of a backup bowling plan, Afghanistan controlled the game’s tempo, and England’s defeat was a consequence of that.
Bowlers such as Jofra Archer and Mark Wood, who tend to be at their least predictable in pressure situations, were unable to make their mark. Afghanistan capitalized on their lack of control to create plenty of scoring chances.
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Dropped Catches and Fielding Errors
Photography: Max Mumby/Indigo via Getty ImagesFielding — in cricket’s most pressurized games — is oftentimes the difference between winning and losing. Fielding errors cost England dear. They put down key catches and misfielded at critical moments, allowing Afghanistan to add to the total. Afghanistan’s sharp fielding, however, kept them ahead. Such moments of myopic concentration led to England losing in the Champions Trophy 2025.
Fielding is often under appreciated, but little mistakes can impact the outcome of a game. Then obviously all these distractions followed England Must up their fielding standards to avoid similar upsets in time to come.
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Errors of Captaincy and Tactics
Throughout the match, England’s captaincy errors showed. Fifth day: Field placements weren’t efficient and bowling changes didn’t pay off. Afghanistan capitalized on all these tactical blunders. An adaptable game strategy might have allowed England to take back control, but could not be found and England were left unable to respond. Proactive decision-making could have changed the game.
Cricket is as much a game of tactics as it is a game of skill. There was also a lack of a commanding leadership presence in England’s game, which saw them make poor decisions under pressure.
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Afghanistan’s hunger and determination
One of the reasons for Afghanistan’s success in the tournament was their hunger to win. They played with verve, passion, and confidence. England, by contrast, appeared unsettled. Afghanistan’s grit and team spirit was rewarded with a historic victory in the Champions Trophy 2025.
They proved to everyone that they are not just a team to be reckoned with but a threat in the world of cricket.
Conclusion
This was yet another one of those countless cricketing upsets in history, one of them being this foray into the Champions Trophy 2025 match history. The result was decided by England’s woeful organization and Afghanistan’s brilliance. England should reassess its strategies, whereas Afghanistan’s realized they will soar high as they march up in the tournament.
This match is a reminder of how no one team is ever to be underestimated. England will need to regroup and improve, while Afghanistan’s sensational triumph underlines that it is a serious team to be avoided in international cricket.
Was this the biggest upset of the Champions Trophy 2025 in your opinion?
