Lahore, Feb 26 (UNI) Afghanistan skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi won the toss and opted to bat first against England in their must-win Champions Trophy encounter here on Wednesday.
The loser of the match will be eliminated from the tournament.
Shahidi hopes that the pitch, which has historically been high-scoring, will slow down in the second innings. England captain Jos Buttler, however, revealed that his team would have preferred to bat first as well, acknowledging the impact of dew under lights in the previous game at this venue.
England made a solitary change to their playing XI, bringing in Jamie Overton in place of the injured Brydon Carse. Afghanistan, on the other hand, retained the same team despite their heavy defeat to South Africa in the previous match.
Both teams come into this crucial clash after suffering setbacks in their opening games. England posted a formidable 351 against Australia but still ended up on the losing side as Josh Inglis' heroics guided the Aussies home. Afghanistan, meanwhile, endured a crushing defeat at the hands of South Africa and will be eager to bounce back.
The Lahore surface has been conducive to big scores, with the average total in the last five matches exceeding 300. The pitch is expected to favour batsmen once again, although bowlers will look to exploit the 6m-8m length to trouble batsmen. The presence of two world-class leg-spinners, Adil Rashid for England and Rashid Khan for Afghanistan, could play a pivotal role in the contest.
With Bangladesh and Pakistan already knocked out from Group A, the stakes couldn't be higher for both teams. England, boasting an experienced batting lineup, will look to impose themselves, while Afghanistan will rely on their spirited approach to challenge their opponents.
The weather forecast indicates a 51 per cent chance of rain, which could play a role in the outcome of the match.
Teams:
England (Playing XI): Philip Salt, Ben Duckett, Jamie Smith (w), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler (c), Liam Livingstone, Jofra Archer, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood.
Afghanistan (Playing XI): Rahmanullah Gurbaz (w), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi.
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