The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has had its eyes set on the England Test Series. India will be touring the United Kingdom for the five-match Test series, and it will mark the beginning of the new edition of the ICC World Test Championship. 
The Test series between England and India is all set to be played from 20th June. Ahead of the series, India A will be playing two games against England Lions. The first match will be played on 30th May, followed by the second game set to be played on June 6 at the County Ground in Northampton. 
The reports in PTI claimed that BCCI is keen to make Indian players, who will be part of the main squad, play in the A-side. It is learned that Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli could also play one of the games, depending on how their team fares in the IPL. 
The knockouts of the IPL are all set to begin on 20th May. The league will conclude on 25th May. If not the first then Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli potentially will play the second India A game, which will be played at the County Ground in Northampton. 
<h2>BCCI wants Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to play in the India A games because of their poor form</h2>
The BCCI wants Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to play in the India A games, especially after their poor outings in the Tests of late. Since the last three series, the India skipper has managed 164 runs. His worst came in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, where he managed just 31 runs. 
Virat Kohli, on the other hand, failed badly in the Tests against Bangladesh and New Zealand. But he started the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 on high. He slammed a century in Perth but, after that, managed just 190 runs in the rest of the series at an average of just around 23. 
The upcoming Test series against England will be a make-or-break series for Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Since the last few months, they have been under a massive scanner for their poor performances in the Tests. 
Also Read: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/karun-nair-finally-gets-justice-all-set-to-be-picked-in-the-indian-team-for-/">Karun Nair finally gets justice! All set to be picked in the Indian team for...</a>

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to play India A games {PC:X}

The upcoming Test series against England will be a make-or-break series for Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.

BCCI wants Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to play in the India A games, especially after their poor outings in the Tests of late.

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli all set to be forced by BCCI to play these games...

rohit-sharma-and-virat-kohli-all-set-to-be-forced-by-bcci-to-play-these-games-

Vidarbha batter Karun Nair is all set to get his India recall in the Tests. As per the reports in PTI, it is learned that the right-hander will be named in the Indian team for the five-match Test series against England in June later this year. 
Karun Nair will be getting rewarded for his exceptional performances in the domestic cricket. The Vidarbha batter looked class apart in the last season as he played a vital role for his team in the Vijay Hazare Trophy as well as the Ranji Trophy, which they won. 
Karun Nair first set the stage on fire in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25, where he slammed over 700 runs and was the leading run-getter. He captained the team in the tournament but couldn't take them to the win, losing in the final against Karnataka. 
Karun Nair then came up with an even more magnificent performance in the Ranji Trophy 2024-25. Batting in the middle-order, the right-hander came up with a brilliant effort and scored 863 runs from nine matches at an average of 54. He also slammed four tons and two fifties. 
<h2>Karun Nair will be picked in the team for the India A tour to England first</h2>
The reports claimed that he will be picked in the team for the India A tour to England first. The A side will be playing two games ahead of the main series, and it is learned that the majority of the Indian players will be part of the squad in preparation for the main series. 
Karun Nair last featured for India against Australia in 2017. He is one of the two Indian batters who has slammed 300 in the longest format of the game. However, even after that, he was dropped from the team and then didn't make the cut into the side for a long. 
Karun Nair has played 6 Tests for India and has slammed 374 runs at an average of over 62. If given the opportunity again, he would be keen to make his case more strong and seal his place in the team for the next edition of the ICC World Test Championship.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/4-6-6-quinton-de-kock-goes-hammers-and-tongs-against-jofra-archer-to-seal-game-for-kkr-against-rr-/">4,6,6! Quinton de Kock goes hammers and tongs against Jofra Archer to seal game for KKR against RR</a>

Karun Nair to be picked for England Tests {PC:X}

Karun Nair will be getting rewarded for his exceptional performances in the domestic cricket.

As per the reports in PTI, it is learned that Karun Nair will be named in the Indian team for the five-match Test series against England in June later this year. 

Karun Nair finally gets justice! All set to be picked in the Indian team for...

karun-nair-finally-gets-justice-all-set-to-be-picked-in-the-indian-team-for-

India captain Rohit Sharma is all set to retain his place in the Indian Test team. As per the reports in PTI, it is learned that the premier batter will be captaining the team in the five-match Test series against England, despite having struggled of late. 
Winning the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 as captain has tilted things in favour of India captain Rohit Sharma. After the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, it was almost certain that the opening batter wouldn't be featuring in the longest format of the game anymore. 
This was because Rohit Sharma had a poor patch in Test cricket. He first failed to deliver as a batter in the Tests against Bangladesh and New Zealand. Also, under his leadership, India faced a whitewash in the series against the Kiwis, and he faced a lot of criticism. 
Things got even worse for him during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. Rohit Sharma failed terribly in the series as he managed just 31 runs, and under him, the team went on to lose the series by the margin of 3-1, failing to qualify for the ICC World Test Championship final. 
<h2>Rohit Sharma is expected to lead the India senior team in England despite his modest outings - BCCI source</h2>
There were reports that BCCI is looking at a new captain for the Tests, and Rohit Sharma will soon be calling his retirement. However, after the Champions Trophy, things have changed. The dialogue in the BCCI is that he should be given another chance.
"Rohit Sharma is expected to lead the India senior team in England despite his modest outings and two Test series defeats against New Zealand and Australia," said a source close to PTI.
The source also stressed that the squad will be named after the knockouts of the IPL. He said: "There is enough time to announce the squad, mostly ahead of the knockouts or just after those matches. You will then get a clear picture as to which players are available by then," 
The Test series between India and England is all set to begin from 20th June. It will be a great opportunity for Rohit Sharma to make a strong comeback and help his team win.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/4-6-6-quinton-de-kock-goes-hammers-and-tongs-against-jofra-archer-to-seal-game-for-kkr-against-rr-/">4,6,6! Quinton de Kock goes hammers and tongs against Jofra Archer to seal game for KKR against RR</a>

India captain Rohit Sharma is all set to retain his place in the Indian Test team.

As per the reports in PTI, it is learned that Rohit Sharma will be captaining the team in the five-match Test series against England, despite having struggled of late. 

Rohit Sharma's fate as Test captain and batter decided by BCCI ahead of the England series

rohit-sharma-s-fate-as-test-captain-and-batter-decided-by-bcci-ahead-of-the-england-series-

Jos Buttler: England had a miserable outing in the ICC Men's Champions Trophy 2025 as they failed to qualify for the knockout rounds of the tournament and also failed to win a single match in the marquee ICC event of this year. Amid the team's horrible performance in the eight-team tournament, Jos Buttler made the big decision to step down from captaincy duties. 
He stepped down as the captain following his team's defeat versus South Africa in the final Group-B match of the Champions Trophy. The 34-year-old made this announcement after England's poor performance in the Champions Trophy and being eliminated from the tournament. 
Now, the question that arises is, who will replace the wicketkeeper batsman as the captain of the Three Lions in white ball cricket? Let's take a look at five players who are considered as strong contenders to replace Buttler. 
<h2>5 players who can replace Jos Buttler as the captain of England in white ball formats</h2>
<h4>Sam Curran</h4>
Fast bowling all-rounder Sam Curran can prove to be a tempting option to take over the captaincy duties of England in white ball Cricket from Buttler. He has captaincy experience with the Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) as well as Surrey in Domestic Cricket. He played an important role in helping England lift the T20 World Cup Trophy in 2022 and with him being just 26 years old, he can prove to be a long term option for the 2019 World Cup winners. 
While he hasn't featured much in ODI Cricket in recent times, the kind of skills he possesses both as a batter &amp; bowler are very impressive and it will be very hard for the England team management to not consider him for the leadership role. 
<h4>Harry Brook</h4>
The strongest contender to replace Jos Buttler as England's white ball captain is Harry Brook. He impressed as the stand in skipper in the five-match One Day International series against Ashes Rivals Australia in September of 2024 and while the Three Lions lost the series 3-2, Brook was the leading run scorer in the series and he also impressed a lot of Cricket experts with his leadership skills. 
However, he wasn't able to do much with the bat in the ICC Men's Champions Trophy 2025 in Pakistan, and the English Team management might not want to take the risk of letting Brook's form with the bat suffer alongside the captaincy duties.
Liam Livingstone
Explosive batter Liam Livingstone was out of the team before the Australian tour, but he shone after getting a second opportunity and even captained the side in the West Indies tour. He performed well amid the persistent calf problems of Jos Buttler and in the Antigua ODI, he played a brilliant unbeaten knock of 124 runs. 
He's a really experienced player who has been in the England set up for a really long time and is a good option for the captaincy role. However, his form with the bat has been poor in the last 10 innings as he has had 8 innings where he has scored less than 15. 
<h3>Phil Salt</h3>
The most like-for-like replacement for Jos Buttler as the captain would be his teammate Phil Salt. The explosive wicketkeeper batter has been given the preference over the 34-year-old of handling the wicketkeeping duties and his ability to control the game from behind the stumps is nothing short of brilliant. 
Salt was chosen to lead the T20i side during last year's white-ball series against Australia, and he helped his team draw the series. When he led the Three in September, he said, 'Really enjoyed my first experience as a captain. ' He could mesh well with head coach Brendon McCullum and will be available for every assignment, as he is not in the Test set-up. However, his place in the team is being debated after he scored just one half-century in his last 10 white-ball matches.
<h4>Ben Stokes</h4>
Star All-Rounder Ben Stokes is the current captain of the England Cricket Team in the longest format of the game. He was ruled out of the ICC Men's Champions Trophy 2025 after suffering a hamstring injury. His career so far has proven to be an injury-affected one, but his leadership prowess certainly makes him a potential option to become the all-format skipper of the team. 
Moreover, his partnership with Brendon McCullum led to the creation of the Bazball, which has proven to be a hit for the Three Lions in Test Cricket. With Baz also coaching the white-ball team, Stokes can certainly thrive as the full-time captain of the Three Lions.
Do Read: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/steve-smith-announces-shocking-retirement-after-icc-champions-trophy-2025-defeat-/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Steve Smith announces shocking retirement after ICC Champions Trophy 2025 defeat</a>

Sam Curran (L), Harry Brook (2L), Ben Stokes (C) and Phil Salt (R) of England | Image Credits: Getty Images

Jos Buttler: Amid the poor performance in Champions Trophy 2025, England captain Jos Buttler stepped down as the white-ball captain of England after the team's final group match defeat against South Africa. The ECB is now on the search of finding a suitable captaincy replacement for Buttler

5 players who can replace Jos Buttler as England's new white ball captain

5-players-who-can-replace-jos-buttler-as-england-s-new-white-ball-captain

England had to once face defeat in the ICC Men's Champions Trophy as Aiden Markram-led South Africa eased past the Three Lions by defeating them by seven wickets in the final Group-B match of the tournament. This defeat meant that Jos Buttler's England ended the tournament with 0 points to their name and failed to win a single game. 
Batting first, England could only manage to put up a mere score of 179 runs on the board and the Proteas easily chased down this small target of 180 runs by seven wickets in 29.1 overs. 
With this spectacular win, the 2024 T20 World Cup runners-up ended Group-B as the table toppers. They will now face the loser of tomorrow's India versus New Zealand match in the semi-finals. 
Four South African players played a vital role in helping them win the match. First the duo of Marco Jansen &amp; Wiaan Mulder wreaked havoc with the ball, picking up three wickets a piece. Ngidi, Rabada and Keshav Maharaja also contributed with one and two wickets respectively. 
Then in the batting department, Rassie Van der Dussen &amp; Heinrich Klassen completely dominated the English bowlers. The former played an impressive unbeaten inning of 72 runs while the latter scored 64 runs. 
Chasing a small total of 180 runs, the Proteas were dealt an early blow as Triston Stubbs got out for a duck while opening the batting. However, wicketkeeper batter Ryan Rickelton continued playing in his natural aggressive style, scoring 27 runs in 25 deliveries with the help of five boundaries before perishing off the bowling of Jofra Archer. 
The Aiden Markram-led team lost two wickets at the score of 47 runs and the English fans got a slight hope of making a comeback in the game but, Rassie van der Dussen &amp; Heinrich Klassen had some other plans as they got involved in a partnership of 127 runs for the third wicket and helped their side cross the finish line. 
The veteran batter's knock of 72 runs from 87 deliveries consisted of six fours and three huge sixes while his partner at the other end played an explosive inning of 64 runs in just 56 balls with the help of 11 fours. In the end, David Miller hit a six to give the team victory. He remained unbeaten on seven runs from two balls. 
As a result, the 2019 ODI World Cup winners ended their 2025 Champions Trophy campaign without securing a single win. England suffered defeat in all three of its matches. First, Australia defeated England, followed by Afghanistan, and now South Africa.
<h2>Updated Champions Trophy Points Table</h2>
<table class="table" style="width: 75.5166%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 35.7853%;">Team</td>
<td style="width: 10.7356%;">Mat.</td>
<td style="width: 11.0934%;">Won</td>
<td style="width: 10.3777%;">Lost</td>
<td style="width: 15.0298%;">Points</td>
<td style="width: 16.4612%;">NRR</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 35.7853%;">South Africa (Q)</td>
<td style="width: 10.7356%;">3</td>
<td style="width: 11.0934%;">2</td>
<td style="width: 10.3777%;">0</td>
<td style="width: 15.0298%;">5</td>
<td style="width: 16.4612%;">+2.395</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 35.7853%;">Australia (Q)</td>
<td style="width: 10.7356%;">3</td>
<td style="width: 11.0934%;">1</td>
<td style="width: 10.3777%;">0</td>
<td style="width: 15.0298%;">4</td>
<td style="width: 16.4612%;">+0.475</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 35.7853%;">Afghanistan</td>
<td style="width: 10.7356%;">3</td>
<td style="width: 11.0934%;">1</td>
<td style="width: 10.3777%;">1</td>
<td style="width: 15.0298%;">3</td>
<td style="width: 16.4612%;">-0.990</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 35.7853%;">England</td>
<td style="width: 10.7356%;">3</td>
<td style="width: 11.0934%;">0</td>
<td style="width: 10.3777%;">3</td>
<td style="width: 15.0298%;">0</td>
<td style="width: 16.4612%;">-1.159</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<a href="https://x.com/ICC/status/1895858508505264260">https://x.com/ICC/status/1895858508505264260</a>
Do Read: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/india-vs-new-zealand-champions-trophy-weather-report-and-pitch-report-of-dubai-international-stadium/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">India vs New Zealand Champions Trophy: Weather Report and Pitch Report of Dubai International Stadium</a>

South Africa national cricket team vs England cricket team: Marco Jansen (C) of South Africa celebrates with his teammates after getting the wicket of Ben Duckett of England | Image: ICC

South Africa national cricket team vs England cricket team: England Cricket team lost its last group stage match in the 2025 Champions Trophy as South Africa defeated them by 7 wickets. This win helped the Proteas seal their semi-final spot while the Three Lions got knocked out of the tournament without securing a single win in three games

South Africa national cricket team vs England cricket team:  England Cricket team lost its last group stage match in the 2025 Champions Trophy as South Africa defeated them by 7 wickets. This win helped the Proteas seal their semi-final spot while the Three Lions got knocked out of the tournament without securing a single win in three games

South Africa secure semi-final spot with comfortable victory over England | Updated Champions Trophy Points Table

south-africa-secure-semi-final-spot-with-comfortable-victory-over-england-updated-champions-trophy-points-table

The South Africa National Cricket Team, under the leadership of Temba Bavuma, are set to take on Jos Buttler's England in the final Group-B match of the ICC Men's Champions Trophy 2025 on Friday, 1st of March. The game will be played at the National Stadium in Karachi and it will commence from 2:30 PM IST (Indian Standard Time) onwards. 
The Proteas are currently sitting at the top of the Group-B points table with three points to their name. They are followed by Australia at the 2nd place but since the Net-Run-Rate (NRR) of the South Africans is better, they are ahead of the Kangaroos in the overall standings. 
England, on the other hand, are already knocked out of the tournament after losing both their first two group stage games. The 2019 ODI World Cup winners kicked off their Champions Trophy 2025 campaign with a five-wicket defeat to arch rivals Australia before going on to suffer a shocking 8-run defeat at the hands of Afghanistan in Lahore.
A win in this match will guarantee Semi-finals qualification to the Tema Bavuma-led side while England will be looking to end the eight-team tournament on a high by defeating the Proteas in their final match. Ahead of this thrilling contest, let's take a look at the pitch report of Karach's National Stadium. 
<h2>South Africa vs England Champions Trophy: Pitch Report of Karachi's National Stadium</h2>
The last two encounters played at the National Stadium in Karachi have shown that there's enough support from the surface for the batters to score 300 runs. So, yet another good batting track is anticipated to be on display for the forthcoming South Africa versus England contest. 
Bowlers will have to work hard to keep the batters in check, otherwise they will put up a score of more than 300 runs on the board easily. Both seamers and spinners shall receive a balanced amount of support from the surface. 
Considering the previous two games at this ground have been won by the teams defending totals of 300+ runs, the toss winning captain should opt to bat first. 
<h2>South Africa vs England Champions Trophy: Probable playing 11s of both teams</h2>
South Africa: Ryan Rickelton (wk), Temba Bavuma (captain), Aiden Markram, David Miller, Rassie van der Dussen, Wiaan Mulder, Heinrich Klassen, Keshav Maharaj, Marco Jansen, Kagiso Rabada and Lungisiani Ngidi.
England: Jamie Smith (WK), Phil Salt, Joe Root, Ben Duckett, Liam Livingstone, Harry Brook, Jamie Overton, Jos Buttler (Captain), Adil Rashid, Jofra Archer and Mark Wood.
Do Read: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/rsa-vs-eng-will-rain-play-spoilsport-at-the-national-stadium-of-karachi-check-out-the-weather-report/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">RSA vs ENG: Will rain play spoilsport at the National Stadium of Karachi? Check out the weather report</a>

Temba Bavuma of South Africa (L) and Jos Buttler of England (R) | Image Credits: Getty Images

On Saturday, March 1, at the National Stadium in Karachi, South Africa will play England in Match 11 of the ongoing Champions Trophy 2025. The Proteas will guarantee their place in the semi-finals if they win, making it a pivotal game for South Africa. Nevertheless, if they don't, their semi-final qualification will be in jeopardy and they will have to depend on the outcome of the Afghanistan vs Australia match

The game holds little chance of qualifying for England, who have already lost two close games and are out of the competition. Even though they won't be competing in the semi-finals, England will be motivated to finish the tournament strong.

RSA vs ENG: Will the National Stadium of Karachi favor batters or bowlers? Check-out the pitch reports

rsa-vs-eng-will-the-national-stadium-of-karachi-favor-batters-or-bowlers-check-out-the-pitch-reports

Cricket heavyweights South Africa and England are set to lock horns against each other in the final Group-B clash of the ICC Men's Champions Trophy 2025 on Saturday, 1st of March. This exciting clash is scheduled to be played at the National Stadium in Karachi. A win by a big margin of England in Karachi will help the South Africans to qualify for the semi-finals of the eight-team tournament and also end Group-B as the table toppers. 
The Proteas will come into this upcoming match versus the Three Lions after securing a comprehensive 107 run win over Afghanistan in their opening encounter played at the same ground on the 21st of February, while their second group stage fixture against Australia in the city of Rawalpindi was washed out due to rain so both teams had to share one point a piece with each other.
England, on the other hand, have suffered embarrassing defeats in both the matches they have taken part in so far in the competition. In their first match versus arch-rivals Australia, they failed to defend the big total of 351 runs as Josh Inglis wreaked havoc with the bat, thanks to his magnificent century, and in the second fixture against Afghanistan, they could only manage to score 317 runs in the run chase of 326 runs. 
With two defeats in two matches, the Three Lions are out of the semi-finals race and they would be looking to end the tournament on a positive note by securing a win over the Proteas. Ahead of this exciting encounter, let's take a look at the weather report of the National Stadium in Karachi.
<h3>South Africa vs England Champions Trophy: Weather Report of Karachi</h3>
According to the weather forecast reports of AccuWeather, the weather in the city of Karachi on the match day is anticipated to be bright &amp; sunny. The temperature is expected to be around the 31 degrees Celsius region and the chances of rain intervening with the match are going to be negligible. 
The wind is anticipated to blow from the Western side at a speed of 15 km/h. All in all, the temperature &amp; weather conditions are going to be perfect for the match between South Africa &amp; England.
<h2>South Africa vs England Champions Trophy: Playing 11's of both teams</h2>
South Africa: Ryan Rickelton (wk), Temba Bavuma (captain), Aiden Markram, David Miller, Rassie van der Dussen, Wiaan Mulder, Heinrich Klassen, Keshav Maharaj, Marco Jansen, Kagiso Rabada and Lungisiani Ngidi.
England: Jamie Smith (WK), Phil Salt, Joe Root, Ben Duckett, Liam Livingstone, Harry Brook, Jamie Overton, Jos Buttler (Captain), Adil Rashid, Jofra Archer and Mark Wood.
Do Read: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/ravindra-jadeja-mohammed-shami-to-miss-new-zealand-clash-rohit-sharma-doubtful-replacements-finalised-/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami to miss New Zealand clash, Rohit Sharma doubtful; replacements finalised</a>

RSA vs ENG: Will rain play spoilsport at the National Stadium of Karachi? Check-out the weather report

rsa-vs-eng-will-rain-play-spoilsport-at-the-national-stadium-of-karachi-check-out-the-weather-report

England National Cricket Team skipper Jos Buttler has stepped down as the captain of the white-ball team. This comes after his poor performances as captain in the ongoing 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, where the Three Lions faced a group-stage exit. 
England National Cricket Team was eliminated from the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy after they suffered a disappointing defeat against the Afghanistan National Cricket Team. This was their second consecutive loss in the ODIs, having faced a poor defeat against Australia in their tournament opener. 
After England got eliminated from the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, skipper Jos Buttler faced a lot of criticism. The keeper-batter has been having a torrid time as a leader as even before the tournament, his team were at the receiving end of thrashing against India and England in T20Is. 
Jos Buttler will be leading the England National Cricket Team for the one final time in the game against South Africa in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy. The match between the teams will be taking place at the National Stadium in Karachi on Saturday (28th February).
<h2> Hopefully somebody else who can come in and work closely alongside Baz to take the team back to where it needs to be - Jos Buttler </h2>
Jos Buttler made the decision public during the press conference ahead of the game against South Africa. He believes that it was the right time for him to step down as the captain and an opportunity for someone else to take the team forward along with coach Brendon McCullum. Speaking about his decision, he said: 
"Just to let you all know, I'm going to stand down as England captain. It's the right decision for me, it's the right decision for the team and hopefully somebody else who can come in and work closely alongside Baz to take the team back to where it needs to be. 
I think it's quite clear that this tournament was going to be important results-wise for my captaincy and obviously two losses and being out of the tournament with a bit of a hangover from some tournaments before, I think I just probably reached the end of the road for me and my captaincy, which is a shame." 
Jos Buttler guided England to the win in the ICC T20 World Cup 2022. However, after that, the Three Lions faced a group stage exit in the ICC World Cup 2023, lost in the semi-final against India in the T20 World Cup 2024 and again group stage exit in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/watch-spencer-johnson-delivers-the-ball-of-the-tournament-to-remove-rahmanullah-gurbaz-in-afg-vs-aus-ct-2025-/">Watch: Spencer Johnson delivers the ball of the tournament to remove Rahmanullah Gurbaz in AFG vs AUS CT 2025</a>

Jos Buttler steps down as England captain {PC:X}

England National Cricket Team skipper Jos Buttler has stepped down as the captain of the white-ball team.

Jos Buttler will be leading the England National Cricket Team for the one final time in the game against South Africa in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy.

Jos Buttler steps down as England captain after debacle in 2025 ICC Champions Trophy

jos-buttler-steps-down-as-england-captain-after-debacle-in-2025-icc-champions-trophy-

England batter Joe Root gave his best with the bat against Afghanistan in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 clash. The match between the two teams took place on Wednesday (26th February) at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, which saw the Three Lions getting eliminated. 
England had a horrible outing in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 game against Afghanistan. The Jos Buttler-led side faced a disappointing 8-run loss in the match and it saw them getting eliminated from the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, having lost their first game of the tournament against Australia. 
In the game against Afghanistan, England was off to a great start with the ball as they picked three quick wickets, and it seemed they would end their innings early. But Ibrahim Zadran came up with the massive innings and put England on the backfoot with his heroics. 
Zadran played a gigantic innings of 177 runs, which is the highest individual score in the history of the ICC Champions Trophy. Along with the support from other batters, Afghanistan posted a massive total of 325 runs, which at one stage looked impossible. 
In the chase, England kept losing wickets at regular intervals but Joe Root fought hard. He kept his team in the hunt as he slammed a magnificent century, and with the way he was batting, it was expected that he would take his team home. 
But he perished at the crucial stage. The batter was back in the hut after scoring 120 runs off 111 balls, batting at a strike rate of over 108 with 11 boundaries and 1 six in his innings. However, even after he got out, England had a chance to win the game. 
But the lower order couldn't contribute as England bottled down a chase. But in what was the heartwrenching moment, Joe Root was seen crying in the dressing room. The batter was sitting along Jos Buttler and was seen getting emotional as the video went viral on the internet. 
Also Read:<a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/rohit-sharma-s-injury-takes-a-serious-turn-ahead-of-the-new-zealand-clash-and-doubtful-for-icc-champions-trophy-2025-clash-/"> </a><a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/rohit-sharma-s-injury-takes-a-serious-turn-ahead-of-the-new-zealand-clash-and-doubtful-for-icc-champions-trophy-2025-clash-/">Rohit Sharma's injury takes a serious turn ahead of the New Zealand clash, and doubtful for ICC Champions Trophy 2025 clash</a>
<h2>Watch: Joe Root cries in dressing room as England losses to Afghanistan</h2>
https://x.com/Manan_Vk/status/1894798340522418518

Joe Root crying after England's loss to Afghanistan in ICC Champions Trophy 2025 {PC:X}

England kept losing wickets at regular intervals but Joe Root fought hard.

England batter Joe Root gave his best with the bat against Afghanistan in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 clash.

Watch: Joe Root cries in a dressing room as Afghanistan eliminates England from ICC Champions Trophy 2025

watch-joe-root-cries-in-a-dressing-room-as-afghanistan-eliminates-england-from-icc-champions-trophy-2025-

AFG vs ENG: What a Thriller! AFGHANISTAN have defeated ENGLAND in the last ball thriller and the doors of Semifinal Qualification are still open for the Afghans. Incredible scenes from LAHORE and Afghanistan have done it again in another ICC event.
That is what happens when two quality international teams clash in an all-important match. A record-breaking innings from Zadran, followed by a crucial 5-wicket haul by Azmattulah Omarzai, helped Afghanistan to get the better of England in an important match. 
Let's take a look at the Match report of AFGHANISTAN vs ENGLAND match and ICC Champions Trophy Points table 2025:
<h2>AFG vs ENG Match Report</h2>
Afghanistan’s innings began with a challenging start as they lost three early wickets for just 37 runs. Jofra Archer bowled a fiery opening spell, dismissing Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Sediqullah Atal, and Rahmat Shah. Facing this early setback, Ibrahim Zadran and captain Hashmatullah Shahidi worked to stabilize the innings.
Zadran reached his half-century in 65 balls, but after a steady partnership, Shahidi fell for 40 while trying to play an unorthodox shot against Adil Rashid. Azmatullah Omarzai then played a quick cameo, scoring 41 off 31 balls, keeping the scoreboard moving despite England's pace attack.  
<img class="img-additional" src="https://admin.icccricketschedule.com/uploads/images/202502/image_430x256_67bf46beead53.jpg" alt="">
As Zadran settled in, he shifted gears after his century, needing just 28 more balls to reach 150. He, along with Mohammad Nabi, punished England’s bowlers, taking full advantage of missed chances and sloppy fielding. Zadran’s powerful stroke play, including a six and three consecutive boundaries off Archer, helped Afghanistan accelerate in the final overs.
Nabi also played a vital role, smashing Joe Root for two sixes. Despite a tight final over by Liam Livingstone, Afghanistan managed to score 113 runs in the last 10 overs, finishing their innings at a competitive 325 for 7. Ibrahim Zadran’s incredible 177 set a new ICC Champions Trophy record, surpassing the previous best. His knock also made him the second player in this edition to cross 150, after Duckett’s 165.
In the chase, again, it was a sloppy start for England as they lost Phil Salt and Jamie Smith under 30 runs. Then, Duckett and Joe Root ensured the next 10 overs with no casualties. Last match hero Ben Duckett just started to accelerate when Rashid Khan found his leg before the wickets. 
Harry Brook got a good start again but failed to capitalize on it. England were under pressure all of a sudden, but Jos Buttler came, poured calmness, and put the pressure back on Afghanistan. Azmatullah was exceptional today as he got the crucial wickets of Jos Buttler in the middle and Joe Root in the death overs. Joe Root, before getting out, smashed an exceptional century with a strike rate over 100. 
<img class="img-additional" src="https://admin.icccricketschedule.com/uploads/images/202502/image_430x256_67bf46c2c28aa.jpg" alt="">
It looked for once that Afghanistan might pull it after Root's wicket, but Jamie Overton and Jofra Archer added valuable runs, and England were on the top! Just then, threw a regulation catch to the long on, and Afghanistan were pumped again. Fazalhaq and Omarzai didn't give any pace to the ball, and Jofra lost his wicket in search of a SIX as well. 
It was all done and dusted for them and disciplined bowling from Afghan bowlers didn't make any mistake! Afghanistan defeated England by 8 runs. England are now eliminated from the semifinal race.
<h2>ICC CHAMPIONS TROPHY POINTS TABLE 2025</h2>
<table class="table cb-srs-pnts" border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 83.22%; background-color: #F6E7E7;">
<thead>
<tr class="cb-srs-gray-strip ">
<th class="cb-srs-pnts-th text-left" style="width: 34.1538%;">Group A</th>
<td class=" cb-srs-pnts-th" title="Matches Played" style="width: 8.30769%;">Mat</td>
<td class=" cb-srs-pnts-th" title="Matches Won" style="width: 9.84615%;">Won</td>
<td class=" cb-srs-pnts-th" title="Matches Lost" style="width: 9.23077%;">Lost</td>
<td class=" cb-srs-pnts-th" title="Matches Tied" style="width: 9.23077%;">Tied</td>
<td class=" cb-srs-pnts-th" title="Matches with No Result" style="width: 7.07692%;">NR</td>
<th class=" cb-srs-pnts-th" title="Match Points" style="width: 7.69231%;">Pts</th>
<td class=" cb-srs-pnts-th" title="Net Run Rate" style="width: 14.4615%;">NRR</td>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr class="">
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-name" style="width: 34.1538%;">
<div class="cb-col cb-col-100">
<div class="cb-col cb-col-84">New Zealand  (Q)</div>
</div>
</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 8.30769%;">2</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 9.84615%;">2</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 9.23077%;">0</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 9.23077%;">0</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 7.07692%;">0</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td text-bold" style="width: 7.69231%;">4</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 14.4615%;">+0.863</td>
</tr>
<tr class="">
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-name" style="width: 34.1538%;">
<div class="cb-col cb-col-100">
<div class="cb-col cb-col-84">India  (Q)</div>
</div>
</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 8.30769%;">2</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 9.84615%;">2</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 9.23077%;">0</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 9.23077%;">0</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 7.07692%;">0</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td text-bold" style="width: 7.69231%;">4</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 14.4615%;">+0.647</td>
</tr>
<tr class="">
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-name" style="width: 34.1538%;">
<div class="cb-col cb-col-100">
<div class="cb-col cb-col-84">Bangladesh  (E)</div>
</div>
</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 8.30769%;">2</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 9.84615%;">0</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 9.23077%;">2</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 9.23077%;">0</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 7.07692%;">0</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td text-bold" style="width: 7.69231%;">0</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 14.4615%;">-0.443</td>
</tr>
<tr class="">
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-name" style="width: 34.1538%;">
<div class="cb-col cb-col-100">
<div class="cb-col cb-col-84">Pakistan  (E)</div>
</div>
</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 8.30769%;">2</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 9.84615%;">0</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 9.23077%;">2</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 9.23077%;">0</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 7.07692%;">0</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td text-bold" style="width: 7.69231%;">0</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 14.4615%;">-1.087</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<table class="table cb-srs-pnts" border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 83.3333%; background-color: rgb(222, 229, 247); height: 100px;">
<thead>
<tr class="cb-srs-gray-strip " style="height: 20px;">
<th class="cb-srs-pnts-th text-left" style="width: 26.5517%; height: 20px;">Group B</th>
<td class=" cb-srs-pnts-th" title="Matches Played" style="width: 8.96552%; height: 20px;">Mat</td>
<td class=" cb-srs-pnts-th" title="Matches Won" style="width: 11.0345%; height: 20px;">Won</td>
<td class=" cb-srs-pnts-th" title="Matches Lost" style="width: 10.3448%; height: 20px;">Lost</td>
<td class=" cb-srs-pnts-th" title="Matches Tied" style="width: 10.3448%; height: 20px;">Tied</td>
<td class=" cb-srs-pnts-th" title="Matches with No Result" style="width: 7.93103%; height: 20px;">NR</td>
<th class=" cb-srs-pnts-th" title="Match Points" style="width: 8.62069%; height: 20px;">Pts</th>
<td class=" cb-srs-pnts-th" title="Net Run Rate" style="width: 16.2069%; height: 20px;">NRR</td>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr class="" style="height: 20px;">
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-name" style="width: 26.5517%; height: 20px;">
<div class="cb-col cb-col-100">
<div class="cb-col cb-col-84">South Africa</div>
</div>
</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 8.96552%; height: 20px;">2</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 11.0345%; height: 20px;">1</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 10.3448%; height: 20px;">0</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 10.3448%; height: 20px;">0</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 7.93103%; height: 20px;">1</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td text-bold" style="width: 8.62069%; height: 20px;">3</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 16.2069%; height: 20px;">+2.140</td>
</tr>
<tr class="" style="height: 20px;">
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-name" style="width: 26.5517%; height: 20px;">
<div class="cb-col cb-col-100">
<div class="cb-col cb-col-84">Australia</div>
</div>
</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 8.96552%; height: 20px;">2</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 11.0345%; height: 20px;">1</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 10.3448%; height: 20px;">0</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 10.3448%; height: 20px;">0</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 7.93103%; height: 20px;">1</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td text-bold" style="width: 8.62069%; height: 20px;">3</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 16.2069%; height: 20px;">+0.475</td>
</tr>
<tr class="" style="height: 20px;">
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-name" style="width: 26.5517%; height: 20px;">
<div class="cb-col cb-col-100">
<div class="cb-col cb-col-84">Afghanistan</div>
</div>
</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 8.96552%; height: 20px;">2</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 11.0345%; height: 20px;">1</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 10.3448%; height: 20px;">1</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 10.3448%; height: 20px;">0</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 7.93103%; height: 20px;">0</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td text-bold" style="width: 8.62069%; height: 20px;">2</td>
<td class="cb-srs-pnts-td" style="width: 16.2069%; height: 20px;">-0.990</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 20px;">
<td style="width: 26.5517%; height: 20px;">
<div class="cb-col cb-col-100">
<div class="cb-col cb-col-84">England  (E)</div>
</div>
</td>
<td style="width: 8.96552%; height: 20px;">2</td>
<td style="width: 11.0345%; height: 20px;">0</td>
<td style="width: 10.3448%; height: 20px;">2</td>
<td style="width: 10.3448%; height: 20px;">0</td>
<td style="width: 7.93103%; height: 20px;">0</td>
<td style="width: 8.62069%; height: 20px;">0</td>
<td style="width: 16.2069%; height: 20px;">-0.301</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

Afghanistan triumphed in a last-ball thriller against England, keeping their semifinal hopes alive. Zadran’s record-breaking 177 and Omarzai’s crucial five-wicket haul secured another historic ICC event victory for Afghanistan in Lahore.

Afghanistan edged England in a dramatic last-ball finish, powered by Zadran’s 177 and Omarzai’s five-wicket spell. Check the ICC Champions trophy Points table here.

AFGHANISTAN beat ENGLAND by 8 runs! England Eliminated, Afghanistan Alive; Check the Updated ICC Champions Trophy Points table 2025

afghanistan-beat-england-by-8-runs-england-eliminated-afghanistan-alive-check-the-updated-icc-champions-trophy-points-table-2025

The England cricket team represents England and Wales in international cricket. Since 1997, it has been governed by the England and Wales Cricket Board, having been previously governed by Marylebone Cricket Club since 1903.

England

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Abhishek Sharma made history by smashing 141 off 55 balls—the highest IPL score by an Indian—as Sunrisers Hyderabad chased down 246 against Punjab Kings. His explosive knock, including 14 fours and 10 sixes, surpassed KL Rahul's previous record (132) and became the third-highest IPL score ever, behind Chris Gayle (175) and Brendon McCullum (158). Partnering with Travis Head (171-run stand), Sharma capitalized on a no-ball reprieve, powering SRH to victory. His 40-ball century was also the fastest by an SRH batter against PBKS, cementing his place among IPL's most destructive innings.

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Sunrisers Hyderabad chased a mammoth 246 in 18.3 overs, led by Abhishek Sharma’s explosive 144 and Travis Head’s 66, overpowering Punjab Kings in a record-breaking IPL thriller.