Afghanistan created history in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 by defeating England in a do-or-die encounter in the marquee event. Afghanistan registered a nail-biting 8-run win to stay in the race for the semifinals of the showpiece event happening in Pakistan and UAE. This was Afghanistan's second win against England in ICC events.
After registering the victory against England, Afghanistan fans were seen doing wild celebrations but the joyous atmosphere took a surprising turn when an unexpected incident occurred on the field. After the match ended, a man ran onto the pitch attempting to hug Afghan players. Responding to that security personnel intervened and escorted the intruder away from the scene. This swift action ensured the safety of both players and the integrity of the game.
This is the second time in the ongoing Champions Trophy that a fan breached security in a Pakistan stadium to meet their favourite cricketer. Earlier this happened during the New Zealand vs Bangladesh clash when a fan from Pakistan interrupted the game by running onto the field and attempting to seize Rachin Ravindra from behind. Security guards acted promptly in that situation as well, leading to the arrest and subsequent ban of the intruder from all cricket venues in Pakistan.
After defeating England, Afghanistan are in the race for the Champions Trophy 2025 semifinals. They will face Australia for their third league match which will take place on February 28 at Gadaffi Stadium in Lahore.