England’s hopes in the ICC Champions Trophy took a severe hit on February 26, 2025, as injuries compounded their eight-run loss to Afghanistan at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore. The match, a virtual eliminator, exposed England’s frailties, with key players succumbing to physical setbacks amid a spirited Afghan performance.
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Mark Wood, England’s pace spearhead, suffered a worrying knee injury during his fourth over. After a promising start, he limped off following treatment, returned to bowl four more overs in discomfort, and retreated to the dressing room after the 43rd over. His eight wicketless overs cost 62 runs, and with a history of injuries, his participation against South Africa on March 1 now seems doubtful. Earlier, England had lost Brydon Carse to a toe injury, ruling him out of the tournament before the Afghanistan clash, leaving their pace attack depleted.
Liam Livingstone also battled injury woes, straining his hamstring while fielding. Though he returned to bowl the final over, claiming 2 for 28, and later batted, his mobility was visibly hampered. The injuries disrupted England’s bowling plans, allowing Ibrahim Zadran to plunder a record-breaking 177, lifting Afghanistan to 325 for 7.
Adding to England’s misery, Joe Root, their batting linchpin, appeared to tweak his hamstring during the tense run chase. Scoring a gritty 120 off 111 balls, Root winced after a quick single in the 47th over, clutching his left leg. He soldiered on, visibly grimacing, but fell to Azmatullah Omarzai with victory in sight. Post-match, Root downplayed the issue, but England’s medical team faces a race to ensure his fitness for future fixtures.
