Ex-England Star Emotional as Afghanistan Knock Them Out

Former England cricketer Neil Fairbrother cried after Afghanistan knocked them out of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. In a virtual knockout match, Afghanistan beat England by eight runs in Lahore on Wednesday to register their second victory against England in an ICC 50-over event. After the match, legendary Pakistan cricketer Wasim Akram texted Fairbrother, and he replied, “I wept”.

Akram said he had to remind his “good friend” that its was just a game and Afghanistan defeating England in Pakistani conditions was always on the cards.

“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’,” Akram said on Ten Sports show ‘Dressing Room’.

Akram and Fairbrother go back a long way. They both shared the dressing room for a long time in the English County side, Lancashire. Fairbrother, a stylish left-handed batter, played 10 Tests and 75 ODIs for England. He was an absolute legend at the domestic level, playing a whopping 366 first-class matches, scoring more than 20000 runs that included 47 centuries.

I swear I have seen for the first time ever in my 20y career and got to know that English players seen crying 😢 for the very first time after losing a cricket 🏏 match in their decades history.#AfghanPower #AFGvENG #ChampionsTrophy2025 pic.twitter.com/Pe28xDiAqu

— M.Ibrahim Momand (@IbrahimReporter) February 26, 2025

Buttler’s future as England captain:

A listless England, barring Joe Root who smashed a century, suffered an eight-run defeat against the Afghans. Chasing 326 for victory, England were bundled out for 317 with Afghanistan batter Ibrahim Zadran smashing a superb 177 and pacer Azmatullah Omarzai grabbing a five-wicket haul.

“I don’t want to say any emotional statements right now. But I think for myself and the other guys at the top, we should consider all possibilities,” said Buttler in the post-match presentation on his future as the England white-ball skipper.