GUWAHATI, Feb 27: Afghanistan’s 8-run victory over 2019 World Cup Champions England has sent the Englishmen out of the Champions Trophy 2025 reducing cricketers and fans to tears.
While Joe Root, who stood out from the rest of the English batters with a gritty century, was seen wiping off a tear or two after Afghanistan’ victory — their second over England in ICC tournaments after cruising to a 69-run victory in the 2023 ODI would cup in Delhi — former England batter Neil Fairbrother is reported to have cried after the match.
Former Pakistan pacer Wasim Akram, who is a close friend of Fairbrother, said on the sidelines of the post-match show ‘Dressing Room’ on Ten Sports that the former England batter told him that he cried after the match.
“The way they are playing, the cricket-loving people of England must be quite upset. I just messaged my dear friend Neil Fairbrother, he literally told me ‘I wept’. I told him, ‘hang on buddy, it is just a game and it was always on the cards’,” Hindustan Times quoted Akram as saying on the Ten Sports post-match show.
