Afghanistan cricket team defeated mighty England on Sunday at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi, at the ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. It was unexpected for me and for many. This was their first win in this tournament.

They defeated England by 69 runs. It was a great performance by Afghans. They played like a unit. They have been playing international cricket for some time and they showed they have the skills to complete at this tournament.

Such was their performance that whole stadium erupted with joy and cheered for them.  I am sure this will boost their morale for upcoming matches. Mujeeb Ur Rahman got the Man of the Match trophy, but Rashid Khan and Mahammad Nabi also did well. They did not allow English batters to play the shot they are known for playing.  

Considered as a very dangerous team England team looked completely ordinary in Delhi, their loss to Afghanistan has really shocked everyone. We should not forget that they are also the defending champion. I am sure, England will bounce back soon and will learn from this match. But Afghans have got lots of praise from every quarter of the world for their passion they displayed on the field.  

Social media too was flooded with praise.  I feel this victory will be a landmark win for Afghans and they would raise their game from here now.

Shahid Hussain,
By email