Afghanistan v England: Champions Trophy cricket – stay | ICC Champions Trophy

thirty seventh over: Afghanistan 190-4 (Ibrahim 100, Azmatullah 29) After Ibrahim introduced up his ton, Azmataullah launched Livingstone for six into the sight-screen. Time to go large I reckon.

Hundred up for Ibrahim!

thirty sixth over: Afghanistan 180-4 (Ibrahim 98, Azmatullah 21) Wooden continues. He’s wincing much less after every ball however I nonetheless don’t like the truth that he’s bowling. A few twos – one drive down the bottom by Ibrahim and a few flash from Azmatullah large of canopy – alongside 4 singles provides as much as a helpful haul.

thirty fifth over: Afghanistan 172-4 (Ibrahim 94, Azmatullah 17) Feels just like the deep breath earlier than the plunge for Afghanistan. They’re watchful as Livingstone delivers quite a lot of offies and leggies, giving freely simply 5 singles. Ibrahim, who was accelerating via the gears, is now watchful as he crawls via the 90s.

thirty fourth over: Afghanistan 167-4 (Ibrahim 92, Azmatullah 14) Wooden grimaces after delivering his first ball. He’s as much as full pace very quickly, although, cranking it north of 90 mph by his third ball. He tumbles over onto his gammy knee after his fourth which is squirted previous level by Ibrahim and counts for 2 runs. A stunning slower ball to complete ends a helpful over. However he’s hobbling after gathering his cap from the umpire. If he misses Assessments later within the yr there’ll be an inquisition.

Wooden is again. How will that left knee maintain up?

Is Baz lacking a trick?

I do know I’m a easy man (as a result of individuals maintain telling me) however I don’t perceive why there’s so little dialogue about England’s new strategy.

That’s from Andrew Moreman who possibly wants some new buddies in Devon.

I imply all hail the mighty Baz clearly however we went to the sub continent with a bevy of quick bowlers and it didn’t work. it by no means has. And so we introduced the identical strategy to this event the place, cling on. It’s not working.

Bizarre one. As a result of Archer and Wooden have been excellent early on, but it surely’s the spinners who’ve been spectacular for the reason that ball has aged. Possibly higher steadiness, versus one technique or the opposite.

thirty third over: Afghanistan 165-4 (Ibrahim 90, Azmatullah 14) Archer completes his eighth over. Not fully certain what Buttler’s plan is right here. Wooden doesn’t look 100% however he’s on the sector and may have doubtless be requested to bowl. Good tempo from Archer and the Afghan batters are circumspect, completely happy to bunt and biff ones and twos. Ibrahim strikes to 90 with a pair previous midwicket after which a steer to deep third.

thirty second over: Afghanistan 160-4 (Ibrahim 87, Azmatullah 13) Rashid’s slower tempo compels the batters to attend for it, however Azmatullah is onto the ultimate ball with a mighty swing of his bat. It explodes off the center with a crackk and sails a great distance over the boundary at large long-on. There have been simply 4 singles earlier than that, however that monstrous six means the batters win that set on factors.

thirty first over: Afghanistan 149-4 (Ibrahim 84, Azmatullah 5) Buttler is trying to benefit from this opening by reintroducing Archer. He’s obtained 4 overs left so it’s a big gamble, however I see the logic. The fast begins with a sequence of leg-cutters. There’s additionally a knuckleball. Archer is displaying off his vary of methods. Six off the over courtesy of 5 singles dabbed to boundary riders and a large down the leg facet.

thirtieth over: Afghanistan 143-4 (Ibrahim 82, Azmatullah 1) Rashid returns with an vital wicket. His first ball was struck for a single previous cowl by Ibrahim, his second was a googly to Shahidi and his third obtained the breakthrough. Shahidi premeditated the reverse sweep however realised about midway via that he picked the improper ball. It was too full and too flat and squeezed beneath the swinging blade. Precisely what England wanted because the Afghan batters have been climbing via the gears.

WICKET! Shahidi b Rashid 40 (Afghanistan 140-4)

twenty ninth over: Afghanistan 139-3 (Ibrahim 80, Shahidi 40) Superb how shortly this has turned. The bowlers have been all around the batters not way back but it surely’s the reverse now. Shahidi skips down the wicket to root and finds a giant hole at further cowl with a lofted inside-out drive. Fantastic cricket. That brings up the 100-run partnership. Solely seven overs in the past they introduced up the 50-run stand. I used to be calling for extra intent and that’s precisely what they’ve delivered. it’s now England feeling the strain.

twenty eighth over: Afghanistan 133-3 (Ibrahim 79, Shahidi 35) Ibrahim is aware of that Overton goes to bang it on a great size so he waits for it, leans again and smashes it down the bottom with a horizontal bat, nearly a tennis forehand. Overton then over-corrects and delivers a leg facet half-volley that’s clipped for 4 via midwicket. Glorious batting. A diving Livingstone prevents a 3rd boundary down at deep backward sq., preserving the pull to simply two. However there’s no stopping the ultimate ball from crossing the rope, a finer pull sees the over price 16 as Ibrahim’s strike-rate climbs to nearly a run-a-ball.

twenty seventh over: Afghanistan 117-3 (Ibrahim 63, Shahidi 35) Once more, improbable from Root. They simply can’t get him away. Various his tempo, he’s preserving them trustworthy, conceding 5 singles.

twenty sixth over: Afghanistan 112-3 (Ibrahim 60, Shahidi 33) Overton again into the assault and Ibrahim welcomes him with the shot of the day. A stand and ship, maintain the pose lofted drive down the bottom. Simply scrumptious. A single brings Shahidi on strike and he tries to drive it, shedding his form as he slogs and misses. He will get down the opposite finish earlier than Ibrahim picks up two from a brief ball to the leg facet after which retains the strike with one other single from a checked-pull. Higher from Afghanistan. It’s solely the beginning, however seems like a small momentum shift. Can they maintain it going?

twenty fifth over: Afghanistan 103-3 (Ibrahim 52, Shahidi 32) Higher from Shahidi who explodes out his crease and mows Root away to the midwicket boundary. Didn’t time it, however he obtained sufficient wooden on it to pull it previous Brook at mid-on. That got here after a single for Ibrahim however was adopted by 4 dot balls.

twenty fourth over: Afghanistan 98-3 (Ibrahim 51, Shahidi 28) Ibrahim brings up his half century by swatting a full toss down the bottom for a single. Livingstone kinds his size out and provides up simply two extra singles for the remainder of the over. Don’t get me improper, England’s spinners are bowling nicely, however there’s a definite lack of intent from the batters.

twenty third over: Afghanistan 94-3 (Ibrahim 49, Shahidi 26) Root is bowling nicely. A effective tickle for 2 from Ibrahim and a single from Shahidi down the bottom is all they’ll muster from these skiddy deliveries. That is greater than part-timer stuff. Root has conceded simply eight runs from three overs.

twenty second over: Afghanistan 91-3 (Ibrahim 47, Shahidi 25) Livingstone into the assault. Not a foul thought given the best way Root’s sliding offies have cramped the batters. An unsightly hack from Shahidi will get him two via the leg facet and a single large of long-off brings up the 50 partnership off 80 balls. Ibrahim is given a freebie with a full toss down the leg facet that he tickles for 4 with a effective paddle.

twenty first over: Afghanistan 84-3 (Ibrahim 43, Shahidi 22) Good from Root. His bowling got here on within the SA20 and he’s now greater than a helpful operator. Understands methods to fluctuate his tempo and shortly works out the place the batter doesn’t need it to land. Proof is within the pudding. Simply two singles off that set.

twentieth over: Afghanistan 81-3 (Ibrahim 42, Shahidi 20) That’s extra prefer it! Ibrahim skips down the monitor and with a stunning swing of the bat deposits Rashid for six down the bottom. Picked the wrong-un and was throughout it. That was off the second ball which then allowed the batters to rotate the strike for the following 4 balls. String a number of extra overs like that collectively and so they’ll be again on monitor.

nineteenth over: Afghanistan 71-3 (Ibrahim 34, Shahidi 18) Root into the assault and his round-arm motion works a deal with. No room to free the arms and his first over goes for simply two singles. Afghanistan are going nowhere quick. They’ve to indicate extra bravery. They bat deep. Time for one in all them to open up.

18th over: Afghanistan 69-3 (Ibrahim 33, Shahidi 18) In response to the additional intent proven by the batters, Rashid is slowing his tempo down, forcing them to attend only a contact longer for the ball to reach. Ibrahim will get again and works a pair into a giant hole at midwicket. Two singles elsewhere. Nonetheless not sufficient punch from the batters. This can be a dream batting floor and this partnership wants to search out an additional gear. Wooden returns to the sector however he’s not transferring with nice freedom. He has to attend 38 minutes earlier than he can bowl once more.

seventeenth over: Afghanistan 65-3 (Ibrahim 30, Shahidi 16) Overton is hammering it back-of-a-length with a sequence of cutters. He’s sussed issues out by taking a little bit of tempo off the ball. A back-foot reduce is timed nicely by Shahidi, however he picks out Archer at deep third. Ibrahim additionally cracks one off the again foot however has to accept one because it races straight into the fingers of the mad sweeping within the covers. Two extra singles provides as much as simply 4 off the over. Overton has been very tidy, conceding simply 12 off his 4 overs.

sixteenth over: Afghanistan 61-3 (Ibrahim 28, Shahidi 14) A little bit of intent proven by the batters. They’re utilizing their ft to Rashid and reverse-sweeping him – two previous cowl off Shahidi’s swishing blade. Three singles has the rating ticking, however one thing extra dynamic is required.

fifteenth over: Afghanistan 56-3 (Ibrahim 27, Shahidi 10) A primary boundary for the reason that seventh over as Shahidi leans right into a drive that slices backward of sq. and beats a diving Archer at deep third. Picks up a single as nicely however in any other case it’s factors to Overton as he beats the bat with a stunning lifter off a great size. A partnership is slowly constructing. They should maintain going.

They’ll break for drinks.

sixteenth over: Afghanistan 51-3 (Ibrahim 27, Shahidi 5) A uncommon little bit of dross from Rashid drifts down leg for a large. A googly is labored by Ibrahim to deep midwicket for a pair and there’s additionally two away off the face of the bat on the off facet. Three singles provides as much as a comparatively costly over. Eight off it.

thirteenth over: Afghanistan 43-3 (Ibrahim 22, Shahidi 3) Change of ends for Overton as he replaces Archer. Respectable tempo first up as he touches 87 mph and beats Shahidi’s flash exterior the off stump. He’s then fuller and skiddy, preserving it on a decent line, hitting a tough size. One other one zips previous Ibrahim’s try at a scythe off the again foot. Only one run off the over. Afghanistan are in a gap proper now.

twelfth over: Afghanistan 42-3 (Ibrahim 22, Shahidi 2) Spin now as Rashid comes into the assault. As you’d anticipate he’s on the cash from the get go, flighting it up round a fourth/fifth stump line. Ibrahim swats a single down the bottom and Shahidi plops one all the way down to long-on for a single of his personal. The final 5 overs have gone at simply 2.6 an over.