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Afghanistan`s stunning victory over England in the ICC Champions Trophy eliminates England from the tournament.

Afghanistan stunned England with a thrilling eight-run victory in their must-win Group B match at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore. Chasing a daunting target of 326, England`s Joe Root delivered a remarkable performance, scoring 120 runs off 111 balls. However, his efforts were in vain as England was bowled out for 317 in 49.5 overs.

Ibrahim Zadran`s extraordinary innings of 177 runs off 146 balls set a new record for the highest individual score in Champions Trophy history, propelling Afghanistan to a total of 325/7 after a shaky start at 37-3. Fast bowler Azmatullah Omarzai emerged as the hero for Afghanistan, claiming 5 wickets for 58 runs, including the pivotal wicket of Root in the 46th over.

Despite contributions from Ben Duckett (38) and Jamie Overton (32), England struggled to maintain the required run rate and failed to hit a boundary in the final 15 deliveries. This defeat marks England`s exit from the tournament, having lost both their group matches, while Afghanistan keeps their semi-final hopes alive. The updated Group B standings see South Africa and Australia leading with 3 points each, followed by Afghanistan with 2 points and England at the bottom with none.

Captain Hashmatullah Shahidi praised his team`s resilience, while a disappointed Jos Buttler acknowledged England`s shortcomings in both matches.

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