James Buttler of the Cricket Badger Podcast assesses England's chances as they prepare to play Afghanistan in Lahore on Wednesday.
England v Afghanistan - Lahore, Pakistan - Wed 26 February, 9am (UK time)
England played as well as they have for a while in the ODI format in their five-wicket defeat to Australia on Saturday. It must be said that the England bar is currently very low and Australia are seriously depleted and not at their best either.
The loss in their opening match leaves England playing knockout cricket from hereon, otherwise they’re out. With the top two progressing to the semi-finals from the four teams in Group B, another defeat means curtains for Jos Buttler’s team.
Afghanistan will not be easy pickings on Wednesday. They were my outside pick to win the whole thing and a decent punt for a semi-final place, but that wasn’t helped when they lost to South Africa in their first match. The most concerning thing for England is their struggles against spin and Afghanistan could field as many as four frontline spinners.
I really don’t give England a hope in this Champions Trophy and that England are a best price of 3/10 to win this match is way too short. I’m not even sure whether an Afghan win would be deemed too much of an upset and their price of 11/4 with Bet365 is worth a look.
Opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz could take a liking to England’s pace attack, and I like the 9/1 on him to be the top batter in the match and the 4/1 to be the top Afghan bat.
In England’s first match the bet on Adil Rashid was voided as a dead heat with other England bowlers matching his one-wicket haul, but I’m taking him to be England’s top bowler again at 3/1.
Please always gamble responsibly.
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