Champions Trophy, AFG vs ENG Playing 11: What will be both teams' XI today?

England vs Afghanistan Playing 11: England have made a forced change, with all-rounder Brydon Carse ruled out due to injury. He has been replaced by Jamie Overton

Afghanistan won the toss and elected to bat first against England in a high-stake Champions Trophy Group B encounter. Captain Hashmatullah Shahidi backed his side’s ability to put runs on the board, believing that the wicket would slow down as the game progresses, potentially favouring their spin attack in the second innings.  ALSO READ, CHAMPIONS TROPHY 2025: ENG vs AFG PLAYING 11 | ENG vs AFG LIVE STREAMING | ENG vs AFG LIVE SCORE AND MATCH UPDATES

 

Captains’ Take: Contrasting Views on Conditions 

Speaking at the toss, Shahidi said, "We will bat first. The wicket looks good. Hopefully, it will spin in the second innings and might get slower as well. Sometimes the dew comes in, sometimes it does not, but it might get slower for sure. We were not bowling in the right areas in the last game, but we are backing our players and going in with the same team."

 

England skipper Jos Buttler admitted that he too would have preferred to bat first. Reflecting on conditions, he said, "The dew came in the last game and the ball skidded under lights. It came onto the bat nicely. We would have batted first as well, but we back our bowling unit. The individual skill levels in the team are high, and expectations remain the same."

 

Team News: England Make One Change 

England have made a forced change, with all-rounder Brydon Carse ruled out due to injury. He has been replaced by Jamie Overton, adding both batting depth and extra pace to the side. Afghanistan, on the other hand, have opted for stability, sticking with the same XI despite their previous loss.

 

Playing XIs of both the teams 

England: Philip Salt, Ben Duckett, Jamie Smith (wk), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler (c), Liam Livingstone, Jofra Archer, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood

 

Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi

 

A Crucial Encounter in Group B 

With both teams desperate for a win to stay alive in the tournament, the stakes could not be higher. England’s batting firepower will be up against Afghanistan’s spin trio, and the Lahore pitch—expected to slow down—could play a pivotal role in deciding the outcome.