Afghanistan's cricketing star Azmatullah Omarzai has surged to the number one position in the ICC ODI all-rounder rankings creating a record for the emerging star The 24-year-old who turns 25 later this month put up a superlative performance in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 taking him to the No.1 position

Omarzai’s breakthrough campaign included a match-winning five-wicket haul against England and a crucial half-century against Australia showcasing his prowess with both bat and ball His efforts saw him leap two places in the rankings amassing a career-best 296 rating points and dethroning fellow Afghan all-rounder Mohammad Nabi who now sits in second place

AZMATULLAH OMARZAI BECOMES THE NUMBER 1 ALL-ROUNDER IN ODIs. 🇦🇫 pic.twitter.com/lNCDHPazBw

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) March 5, 2025

Afghanistan’s Stars Shine in Champions Trophy

Omarzai was not the sole Afghan player to take huge leaps in the rankings His teammate Ibrahim Zadran had an incredible tournament, especially with a stunning 177-run innings against England in Lahore The 23-year-old moved up 13 places to reach the top 10 of the ODI batting rankings taking 10th spot with 676 rating points

In bowling, New Zealand's Matt Henry also made a name for himself for his excellent Champions Trophy outing shifting three spots to sit in third position on the ICC ODI bowling rankings The Kiwi quick is now only behind Sri Lanka's Maheesh Theekshana and South Africa's Keshav Maharaj who sit first and second respectively

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Major Movements Elsewhere in the Rankings

India's Axar Patel also had a stunning climb of 17 places to reach 13th position among ODI all-rounders with a career-best 194 rating points Meanwhile experienced batsmen Steve Smith and Kane Williamson demonstrated their class rising to 16th and 29th in the batting rankings respectively

The return of Indian fast bowler Mohammed Shami was another feature as he climbed three spots to 11th with 609 rating points England's Jofra Archer climbed 13 spots to 19th and South Africa's Marco Jansen climbed nine spots to 18th also making notable gains in the bowler rankings

India's Batting Dominance Continues

At the ODI batting rankings table India's Shubman Gill held on to his No 1 ranking and veteran superstar Virat Kohli moved up to fourth after his Player of the Match effort in the Champions Trophy semi-final vs Australia in Dubai

With Afghanistan’s rise in world cricket gaining momentum Omarzai’s ascension to the No.1 all-rounder spot signals a new era for the team As they continue their journey on the international stage the young all-rounder’s performances will be crucial in shaping Afghanistan’s future in the sport

Cricket has its share of unpredictable moments but what is transpiring in the Champions Trophy 2025 defies belief There is a shock all around as the tournament is following almost the exact script of the 2023 ODI World Cup The similarities are so astonishing that people have started referring to it as cricket's biggest repeat moment.
A Tournament on Repeat
As the matches went on, fans began noticing unusual similarities It was not merely one or two coincidences but a whole pattern repeating itself.

• KL Rahul concluded the first match with a six just like in 2023
• India secured their second match while chasing and Virat Kohli remained unbeaten again
• Afghanistan beat England in a huge upset just like two years ago
• The same four teams made it to the semifinals India Australia New Zealand and South Africa

It is as if the script of the 2023 World Cup has been copied and pasted into the Champions Trophy

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pic.twitter.com/1VrpHWSRMc

— Out Of Context Cricket (@GemsOfCricket) March 1, 2025

Coincidence or Something Bigger
This strange chain of events has left experts and fans baffled Is this a huge coincidence or do cricket matches have an unusual habit of repeating themselves Some think it is a mere statistical rarity while others think that it is fate playing its role.
What Happens Next
As the tournament progresses to the final stage the largest question now is whether the similarities are going to repeat If India and Australia are set to play in the final again like in 2023 then it will be impossible to turn a blind eye to this trend.
For the time being, fans are simply relishing the bizarre feeling of repetition But one thing is for sure the Champions Trophy 2025 has been one of the most discussed tournaments in the history of cricket.

Champions Trophy 2025 have reached its half way stage where almost we have got our semifinalists team. From Pool B its going to be India and New Zealand and from Pool A its going to be South Africa, but there is one more slot which is empty and there are two contenders who gonna have a virtual quater final. 

Its Australia and Afghanistan who will be fighting for the final spot. Australia have upper hand against Afghanistan but you can't rule out Afghanistan team completely they have given tuff to many big teams and even sended off them too. 

Australia And Afghanistan 2023 Challenge

Both the quality teams are going to face each other today which is going to be a thriller of a contest But before too these two teams faced each other in the 2023 World Cup which happened in India. On the eve of that match, Afghanistan batted first and with the help of Ibrahim Zadran's century Afghanistan was able to post 291 runs with the loss of 5 wickets. Australia got the target of 292 and many thought it would be a cakewalk for Australia. 

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But Afghanistan didn't let go of them easily they provided the early breakthrough removing David Warner and Travis Head cheaply. It was game on for Afghanistan where dethroned the wickets of Labhushane and Josh Inglis. But there stood a man named Glenn Maxwell who came in front of them. He would have also been out it wouldn't have been dropped twice on that day he went on to score 201 though he got cramps but didn't leave he showed the sheer resilience that determined the victory for Australia otherwise it would have been an Afghanistan game. 

Revenge Is Sweeter

 Afghanistan wouldn't forgot the wounds that created by Australia 2 years back. It would be the perfect revenge to refrain their wounds. Even Australia hasn't been best of their forms recent times but half side Australia is still to dangerous. Australia have won their first match beating England in a high scoring encounter where Josh Inglis became their main man. 

 Read More: Sachin Tendulkar Praises Afghanistan Team After Their Victory Against England In Champions Trophy

Tomorrow is going to be the testing phase for Australia too as they have the firepower in batting but have issues in bowling their main bowlers Starc, Hazelwood and captain Pat Cummins are injured, so the only known bowler is Adam Zampa. It's going to be an exciting encounter between both the teams having a favourable advantage over them.

Afghanistan Cricket to World:

Afghanistan's incredible surge on the global cricket scene remains an enthralling spectacle. Ever since its ICC tournament debut in 2010, the nation has grown from being an affiliate member to becoming a force to be reckoned with, securing full membership and making it to the knockout stages of big ICC events. They started their journey in ODI cricket with an exciting one-wicket victory against Scotland in the 2015 World Cup. Yet, their memorable performance in the 2023 ODI World Cup formally proclaimed their arrival on the global stage. Afghanistan beat three erstwhile world champions England, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka to achieve a sixth-place finish and gain entry into the ICC Champions Trophy. These wins had catapulted them to a sixth-place position in the rankings, earning them their maiden qualification for the ICC Champions Trophy.

2023 ODI World Cup: The Breakthrough Tournament
In the 2023 ODI World Cup, Afghanistan stunned England with a 69-run win in Delhi, overwhelmed Pakistan by an eight-wicket margin in Chennai, and comprehensively defeated Sri Lanka by seven wickets in Pune. They almost made Australia their victim as well, but Glenn Maxwell's record-breaking double-century single-handedly saved the eventual champions.
Even after that heartbreak, Afghanistan's performances showed they were no longer an underdog team causing the occasional upset but a force to be reckoned with against the best.

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2024 T20 World Cup: Another Step Forward
In the 2024 T20 World Cup, Afghanistan impressed again, thrashing New Zealand by 84 runs and shocking Australia with a 21-run victory.
They thrashed New Zealand by 84 runs in the group stage in Guyana and then shocked Australia with a 21-run victory in Kingstown in the Super Eight stage. Their dream journey ended in the semi-finals when South Africa routed them comprehensively. But in a twist of drama, the Proteas collapsed at the last hurdle once again, throwing away a golden chance to claim their first World Cup by losing to India in the final. Even though their dream run was cut short in the semi-finals, their performances were enough to show that they were no longer an underdog team.

ICC Champions Trophy 2025: A Historic Victory
Afghanistan took the momentum to the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, beating England in a thrilling match. Ibrahim Zadran's stunning 177 and Azmatullah Omarzai's match-winning effort of 5/58 completed the task as Afghanistan put up a strong 325/7 and held England to 317.

Afghanistan: A Force to Be Reckoned With
At each ICC event, Afghanistan revises its cricket narrative, well solidifying the role of being a genuine world-wide threat. Afghanistan is no longer merely that squad famous for doing the upsets; it kills off a couple of world-renowned top-line players repeatedly.

Afghanistan's path in global cricket is nothing but inspirational. From playing in refugee camps to registering historic wins against some of the largest teams in world cricket, Afghanistan has become a rising force. Their recent performances in big ICC events, such as victoriessover England, Pakistan, and Australia, indicate their quick growth on the global platform.

A Breakthrough Moment: Defeating West Indies in the 2016 T20 World Cup

Afghanistan was in the news when they beat West Indies—the eventual winners—during the 2016 ICC T20 World Cup. This was a turning point, showing the world that Afghanistan was not only a team to play, but a team that could play and beat the best.

2023 Cricket World Cup: A Historic Campaign

The 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup was a seminal tournament for Afghanistan. They achieved three monumental wins that shook the cricket world:

• Thrilling England: Afghanistan stunned the title-holders with a 69-run win, one of the greatest World Cup upsets.
• Historic ODI win vs Pakistan: A seminal moment in the cricketing history of Afghanistan.
• Overwhelming Sri Lanka: An easy 7-wicket triumph highlighted their confidence and skill.

Ending 6th in the tournament, Afghanistan showed they were contenders.

2024 T20 World Cup: Semi-Finalists

The success continued for Afghanistan in the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup, as they made their first-ever semi-final appearance in an ICC tournament. They got through with some nail-biting victories over:

• New Zealand – A crushing performance that left the Kiwis reeling.
• Australia – A huge upset against cricket's powerhouse team.
• Bangladesh – The deciding victory that sealed their semi-final position.

Though their campaign is cut short in the semi-finals, this tournament established Afghanistan as a force to be reckoned with in T20 cricket.

2025 Champions Trophy: Another emphatic Win Against England

Afghanistan's resurgence continued in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, knocking England out of the tournament with another dazzling win. This victory reaffirmed their increasing superiority in white-ball cricket and muzzled any lingering skepticisms.

Key Reasons Behind Afghanistan's Success

1. World-Class Spin  Attack: The greatest strength of Afghanistan is their spin bowling, spearheaded by Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, and Noor Ahmad. Their capability to dominate under various conditions has made Afghanistan a difficult team to play against.

2. Fearless Batting Style: With fearless players such as Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, and Najibullah Zadran, Afghanistan has built a batting order that plays fearlessly and with confidence.

3. Good Leadership and Coaching: With experienced leaders such as Jonathan Trott at the helm, Afghanistan has cultivated a winning mentality that has enabled them to compete at the elite level.

4. Resilience Against All Odds: Through political and infrastructural adversity, Afghan cricketers have stuck to what they love. Their never-give-up spirit has been central to their achievements.

Afghanistan’s rise in world cricket is one of the most inspiring stories in modern sports. From humble beginnings to defeating cricketing giants, their journey reflects hard work, talent, and sheer determination.

It was an epic encounter between England and Afghanistan it was a do-or-die match for both team where they entered this match with a loss, where Afghanistan was beaten by South Africa and England was beaten by Australia so it was a quarter-final between both of these teams, the one who wins the game stays and the other has to go home. 

England had the advantage where they had beaten Afghanistan 2 times in this format but Afghanistan is a team that can't be written off they can beat any team on a given day. Afghanistan have also beaten England once that too in the 2023 World Cup which happened in India. So underestimating Afghanistan is at your own risk. 

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Zadran Brilliant Century Made A Base 

This was much anticipated match where both the teams were entering with a loss. Afghanistan won the toss and Captain Sahidi choose to bat first. At the start of innings they had a thought whether they committed a mistake. But Zadran kept the things go on. Because they lost the wicket of Gurbaaz who went cheaply and rest of few too went early but partnership between Zadran and Sahidi went on. 

Afghanistan was back on track soon where Zadran was looking in elite touch dispatching bad balls to the boundary and rotating the strike as well so the scoreboard stood ticking. Soon Sahidi got out then Azmatullah joined the party with Zadran it was no stopping for him. Zadran scored a brilliant century which was his first but he didn't stop there after his century he rolled over English bowlers more aggressively. He scored a brilliant 177 runs facing 146 balls. He was well supported by Nabi too. With a collective effort Afghanistan scored 325 runs with a loss of 7 wickets. 

Azmatullah Omarzai The Warrior For Afghanistan

IIn the previous match it was England bowling who costed them the match though scoring a mamoth total of 350 above runs they lost the match against Australia, Thanks to the innings of Josh Inglis who just not scored a quick century but ensured Australia seal the match. So here England too had a dangerous batting and it was chasable total in Lahore. But things were looking differently for England here. 

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They lost 2 wickets at the score of 30 pressure started to mount on for England as Omarzai started the damage. Though Joe Root was batting beautifully at one the other wickets were piling up. Before reaching 150 England lost 4 wickets., then a steady partnership between Root and Butler came where they developed an 83-run partnership where Root too completed his brilliant century. Soon Butler departed for 38 and Livingston came to rebuild the damage a 53-run partnership between them gave England solidity. But Azmatullah took root off and it was the nail in the coffin. 

Root departed for 120 runs then it was no stopping for Afghanistan they took the wickets quickly and even England too was nearing the chase so it was on a stage who did it first either Afghanistan would all out England or England's batsman would make a, steal. In the end, Jofra Archer tried too hard too but it was too late it seemed as if England were bowled out at the end with 8 runs remaining to score last 20 minutes were an absolute thriller either who would win and Afghanistan players held their nerves and won the match and pushed their chances forward. Azmatullah  Omarzai took 5 wickets and was the leader of the bowling pack. With this England had been out of Champions Trophy 2025, Where Ibrahim Zadran was awarded with Man Of The Match award. 

One of the most thrilling cricket tournaments of the year is the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. It is a tournament that consists of the eight best ODI teams for the coveted trophy. The matches are being hosted in Pakistan, with top-notch stadiums hosting thrilling matches

• Match: Afghanistan vs. South Africa (Group B Match)
• Date: February 21, 2025
• Time: 2:30 PM Local Time (IST)
• Venue: National Stadium, Karachi

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TV Broadcast Details

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ALSO READ:AFG vs SA Today Match Prediction – Who Will Win? | Match 03, ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Preview & Analysis

SQUADS

South Africa: Ryan Rickelton(w), Tony de Zorzi, Temba Bavuma(c), Aiden Markram, David Miller, Heinrich Klaasen, Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tristan Stubbs, Corbin Bosch, Rassie van der Dussen

Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz(w), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi(c), Azmatullah Omarzai, Gulbadin Naib, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Noor Ahmad, Fareed Ahmad Malik, Ikram Alikhil, Naveed Zadran, Nangeyalia Kharote

The Afghanistan team that will take part in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 event is studded with players of various experiences. The senior all-rounder Mohammad Nabi, 40 years old, is the oldest player, and conversely, the 20-year-old fast bowler Naveed Zadran is the youngest Afghan cricketer in the prestigious event. The senior all-rounder Mohammad Nabi, aged 40, is the oldest player in the competition, and, in contrast, 20-year-old quick bowler Naveed Zadran is the youngest Afghan cricketer of the event.

Afghanistan's Mohammad Nabi and Naveed Zadran are the oldest and youngest players set to feature in the Champions Trophy 2025.#CT2025 pic.twitter.com/hnZHhBlLVC

— CricTracker (@Cricketracker) February 19, 2025

 Mohammad Nabi: The Veteran Leader
Mohammad Nabi has been the backbone of Afghanistan cricket for a very long time. The all-rounder, a real pro, made his debut in 2009 and, hence, became a key player in Afghanistan's world of international cricket. Among his off-spin technique and lower-order hitting, Nabi’s experience will be a key advantage in games with high stakes. As a leader, he will lead from the front and act as the steadying force to the team as they oppose the heavyweights of the cricket world.

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Naveed Zadran: The Young Sensation
Naveed Zadran, a young fast bowler from Afghanistan, is preparing to kick the ground hard in the tournament. A very young Zadran, only 20 years old, has taken the fastest track so far with the biggest distractions in international cricket, and he also did not miss his spot in the actual squad that was announced after the domestic competition. Not only can he make the ball rise and move, but he can also be a significant factor for Afghanistan, more notably in fast and seaming pitches.

Afghanistan Squad for Champions Trophy:

The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 will start on February 19, 2025. Fans of cricket all over the globe are looking forward to seeing their favorite teams face each other in this elite competition. The event will host major cricketing nations, which will ensure exciting games and heated rivalries. Live coverage from several platforms will mean that viewers get to enjoy good-quality broadcasts in different languages, making the experience smooth and effortless.

CHAMPIONS TROPHY GROUPS

Group A: Pakistan (hosts), India, New Zealand, Bangladesh

Group B: Australia, England, South Africa, Afghanistan

Notable Things

• Tournament Start Date: February 19, 2025
• India's First Match: February 20, 2025 (India vs Bangladesh)
• India vs Pakistan Clash: February 23, 2025

First match: Pakitan vs New Zeland

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ALSO READ:PAK vs NZ Today Match Prediction – Who Will Win? | Match 01, ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Preview & Analysis

India Champions Trophy Squad: Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Ravindra Jadeja, Varun Chakaravarthy

•  Coach: Gautam Gambhir
• Best performance: Champions (2002, 2013)

Nabi's son, Eisakhil, played for Afghanistan in the U19 World Cup 2024 and has already scored 426 runs in 16 T20I matches. Nabi is sure that his son will soon find a place in the senior national team.

Mohammad Nabi dream :

"It's my dream. Hopefully, we can do it. He is doing very well. He is a hard worker, and I am also pushing him to put in the effort," Nabi said prior to the Champions Trophy.
"I want him to decide his own objectives. If you wish to become a top-level cricketer, you must strive. Scoring 50 or 60 won't do-if you must get 100-plus. He's listening and challenging himself every time. Whenever I have conversations with him, I attempt to guide him and boost his confidence," he said.

Mohammad Nabi dreams of playing alongside his son in international cricket for Afghanistan. ♥️🥹#Cricket #Nabi #Afghanistan #ICC pic.twitter.com/NqfYbrZZCx

— Sportskeeda (@Sportskeeda) February 18, 2025

Nabi arrives at the Champions Trophy on the back of a good season in the Bangladesh Premier League, where he assisted Fortune Barishal to win the title in February. He claimed 8 wickets from 11 games and also chipped in with the bat whenever his side required him.

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As a performer under pressure, Nabi will be imperative in Afghanistan's middle order and an integral cog in their spin-bowling ranks, spearheaded by Rashid Khan.
"These may not be my last ODIs. I will likely play fewer ODIs and provide opportunities for youngsters to get experience," Nabi said.
"I've spoken to the senior players. For top-level games, perhaps I will play, perhaps I won't-we'll see. It will be based on my fitness."
If Nabi minimizes his appearance for the senior national team, he will likely appear more in overseas T20 leagues. For IPL 2024, Siddharth played for Mumbai Indians but remained unsold in the IPL mega auction for next season from March 22.