Epic World Cup Upsets: Nobody had given Afghanistan a chance going into the game against England. The defending champions, England, were one of the pre-tournament favourites. Despite losing to New Zealand in the opening game, it was believed that England would pick up the pieces soon. They got the better of Bangladesh in the second game.
Afghanistan, on the other hand, lost both their games. The wicket at Kotla had been a belter and the short boundaries made run-scoring very easy. It was expected that England would blast 500 if they batted first.
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But there was a massive twist in the tale:
Afghanistan vs England, 2023
Jos Buttler, the England captain, chose to field first. Afghan openers got the side off to a rollicking start. At 114-0 scoring at nearly 7 runs per over, Afghanistan looked set to breach the 350-run mark. But English spinners triggered a collapse reducing them to 191-6. A rearguard action from the tail ensured that Afghanistan posted a par score of 285 on a track that suited spin. It was their defence that caught the eye of everyone.
Afghanistan bowlers both pace and spin combined beautifully to shock England. Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Rashid Khan, and Mohammad Nabi delivered telling blows to hand England a 69-run defeat. It is one of the greatest ever upsets in the sport, especially in the tournament.
We look at similar epic World Cup upsets:
#3 Ireland vs England, 2011
There is something about England and World Cup upsets. On a flat deck in Bangalore’s Chinnaswamy Stadium, England scored 327 batting first against Ireland. The total at the halfway stage looked improbable for the Irish to hunt down. Ireland lost half their side for 111 in 24.2 overs. But then it was the Kevin O’Brien show. He smashed the fastest World Cup hundred (50 balls) – a record that was broken just recently. His partnership with Alex Cusack helped Ireland win the game with 5 balls to spare. England couldn’t fathom what hit them. It was a run-chase and an upset for the ages.
#2 Bangladesh vs India, 2007
India wasn’t in a great mental space walking into the World Cup despite having a team that had every base covered. But nobody expected them to get eliminated at the group stage. Bangladesh did just that. They stifled the famed Indian batting lineup restricting them to just 190.
Their batters completed the formalities in a spirited run-chase. India had to win their game against Sri Lanka to qualify for the Super Eight. But another defeat threw them out of the World Cup. India’s early ouster meant this format was never to be repeated again!
#1 Bangladesh vs England, 2015
It was a virtual shootout for a spot in the World Cup quarterfinals. Bangladesh had beaten England in 2011. It wasn’t seen as a major upset then as the game was played in Bangladesh wherein the hosts have a solid record. But in the 2015 World Cup, England was expected to coast through as the seam-friendly conditions in Australia were more English than Bangladesh. The Bangladeshi batters put on a strong show scoring 275.
England still was expected to chase the total down. But a determined Bangla side bundled England out and knocked them out of the competition. An early group stage exit caused ECB to revamp its white ball structure in its entirety. England cricket in hindsight is forever grateful for that shock defeat. It helped them become trailblazers of the format in the next 4-5 years.
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