Buttler wants bowlers to improve performance

LAHORE: England and Afghanistan face a critical showdown at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on Wednesday, with both teams desperate to keep their Champions Trophy hopes alive following disappointing tournament openers.

The Group B encounter represents a virtual elimination match – the losing side will almost certainly be bundled out of the tournament, while the victors will retain slim hopes of securing a semi-final berth.

England enter the contest with serious concerns about their bowling attack after Australia successfully chased down their mammoth total of 351 in their opening fixture. It marked England’s fifth consecutive ODI defeat.

“Our batting clicked beautifully against Australia, but we simply must find answers with the ball,” said England captain Jos Buttler during a media interaction. “Only Adil Rashid’s economy rate was acceptable in our first game, and we need a complete performance to overcome a dangerous Afghanistan side.”

The English bowling attack will be slightly reshuffled, with Rehan Ahmed replacing the injured Brydon Carse. Much greater discipline will be required from pace spearheads Jofra Archer and Mark Wood, who struggled to contain Australia’s powerful batting lineup.

Afghanistan are at the bottom of Group B after a 107-run defeat to South Africa in their opener. Despite restricting the Proteas to 315, their batting faltered dramatically, with only Rahmat Shah (90) making a significant contribution as they were dismissed for 208.

The Gaddafi Stadium pitch is expected to remain batting-friendly, with spinners potentially playing a crucial role as the match progresses. In 73 ODIs at the venue, teams batting first have won 37 matches compared to 34 for chasing sides.

Afghanistan’s bowling attack, spearheaded by Rashid Khan, could hold the key. Though wicketless against South Africa, Rashid claimed 3/37 in that famous World Cup victory over England last year.

Rashid Khan is a world-class operator who always rises to the big occasion and if he finds his rhythm early, England’s batsmen could be in trouble despite their recent form. Weather forecasts indicate overcast but dry conditions, with temperatures around 26°C.

The first Champions Trophy match at the venue – England’s loss to Australia – produced 707 runs. Teams: Afghanistan Squad: Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Ikram Alikhil, Gulbadin Naib, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Nangyal Kharoti, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Farid Malik, Naveed Zadran.

England Squad: Jos Buttler (c), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Tom Banton, Harry Brook, Rehan Ahmed, Ben Duckett, Jamie Overton, Jamie Smith, Liam Livingstone, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Saqib Mahmood, Phil Salt, Mark Wood.