Shahidi hails Zadran for 'one of best innings' as Afghanistan down England / Photo: Aamir QURESHI - AFP
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Shahidi hails Zadran for 'one of best innings' as Afghanistan down England
Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi hailed Ibrahim Zadran's record-shattering 177 as "one of the best ODI innings" he had ever witnessed as his team sent England crashing out of the Champions Trophy on Wednesday.
Zadran's blistering 146-ball knock, which featured 12 boundaries and six sixes, helped Afghanistan to 325-7 before they clinched a nail-biting eight-run win which kept them in contention for a semi-final place.
Defeat meant England were ruled out of the running for a last-four spot.
Zadran lifted Afghanistan from a precarious 37-3 to a winning total as he put on key stands including 103 runs with Shahidi, who made 40.
"He's absolutely brilliant. Talented guy," Shahidi said of his man of the match.
"When we were three down at the beginning, it was too much pressure. But the partnership me and Ibrahim did was special.
"I think it was one of the best ODI innings I have ever seen."
Zadran's innings was a record individual score by an Afghanistan batsman in the ODI format and a new high in the history of the Champions Trophy.
Pace bowler Azmatullah Omarzai then returned figures of 5-58 to bowl out England for 317 in 49.5 overs and clinch victory in a match clouded by boycott calls from some British politicians over the plight of women in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan.
"The beauty of our team is we have talented youngsters and at the same time we have senior guys who are at the top level," added Shahidi.
"Everyone knows their roles of what they should do in this team. Hopefully we take this momentum with us for the next game against Australia."
Afghanistan still have to defeat Australia in Lahore on Friday to make the semi-finals.
Wednesday's win was their second in ODIs against England after stunning the defending champions in the 2023 World Cup in India.
The victory sparked wild celebrations in the Afghan capital of Kabul where fireworks were set off and the streets were filled with jubilant fans packed into cars.
Afghan fan Shahid Khan, a 20-year-old garment merchant, said: "This win means a lot to us. We will cherish it for a long time. It's a historic victory -- one I will remember for the rest of my life."
S.Barghouti--SF-PST
