Fast bowler Jofra Archer etched his name in the record books as the fastest England bowler to reach 50 ODI wickets on Wednesday, February 26. He accomplished this milestone during Match 8 of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 against Afghanistan at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore.
In a crucial must-win clash, Jofra Archer struck early, putting Afghanistan on the back foot at 37/3 after their skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi chose to bat first. He reached the 50-wicket mark in just 30 matches, surpassing James Anderson, who had previously held the record by achieving the feat in 31 games.
Archer started his spell by conceding just three runs in his first over and put Rahmanullah Gurbaz under pressure in his second over with a maiden. He dismissed Gurbaz in his next over, forcing an inside edge onto the stumps to reach his 50th ODI wicket.
In the same over, he trapped Sediqullah Atal lbw, securing his second wicket of the match. You can watch the video here:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DGiA77eSRf7/?igsh=b2Y3M21na3U4bXhp
England and Afghanistan face off in crucial must-win clash
The pacer faced some resistance from Ibrahim Zadran in his fourth over, with the batter striking him for two boundaries. However, Archer quickly responded by dismissing Rahmat Shah in his next over, surprising him with a well-directed bouncer that led to a catch at fine leg.
He wrapped up his first spell with impressive figures of 3/22 in six overs. Following the early setbacks, Ibrahim Zadran and captain Hashmatullah Shahidi (40 off 67) steadied Afghanistan’s innings with a crucial 103-run partnership for the fourth wicket.
Their stand was eventually broken by Adil Rashid, who bowled Shahidi out as he attempted a reverse sweep. With the washout between Australia and South Africa leaving Group B wide open, both Afghanistan and England must win this match to keep their tournament hopes alive, making it a virtual knockout clash.
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