ICC Champions Trophy 2025: - Fantasy Tips For AFG Vs ENG, Top Picks, Weather Report, Date, Time Venue, Pitch Report, Probable Playing XI

A struggling England team will fight to stay in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 when they take on a strong Afghanistan side in a crucial Group B match at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, on February 26, 2025. A loss in this game will hurt both teams' chances of reaching the semi-finals, especially since South Africa and Australia have already earned two points each with wins in their first matches.

England's dominance in white-ball cricket under Jos Buttler seems like a thing of the past, as they couldn't defend a 350+ total against Australia in their opening match. While they can take some comfort in scoring big, it was against an Australian team missing key pacers like Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood. Their bowlers also struggled to contain the Aussie batters. To stay in the tournament, England must show major improvements against Afghanistan in both batting and bowling.

Afghanistan also has its own challenges to deal with. They are coming off a heavy 107-run defeat against South Africa in their first match. While they reached the semi-finals of the 2024 T20 World Cup, they still need more consistency in ODIs, both in performance and strategy. The team has plenty of talent, but they must find ways to use it effectively to trouble England, even in their struggling form.  

It's also worth noting that Afghanistan shocked England in the 2023 ODI World Cup at Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. So, Jos Buttler and his team will be looking for revenge this time.