Afghanistan skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi won the toss and chose to bat against England in a crunch Champions Trophy match Wednesday clouded by boycott calls over the plight of women in the Taliban-ruled nation.
The Group B clash in Lahore is effectively a knockout with the losing team out of the semi-final race of the 50-over tournament.
Afghanistan and England both lost their opening matches and rain washed out Tuesday’s game in the group between Australia and South Africa.
That left Afghanistan and England with no further room for error.
Afghanistan fans settle down to watch their team play against England at Lahore’s Gaddafi StadiumAFP
To add to the intrigue, more than 160 British politicians called for England to boycott the game in protest against the Taliban government’s restrictions on women’s rights in Afghanistan.
England skipper Jos Buttler called it "saddening” but had previously ruled out the prospect of a boycott.
Afghanistan are unchanged from their 107-run defeat to South Africa.
England lost their opener to Ashes rivals Australia by five wickets and were forced to make one change after fast bowler Brydon Carse was ruled out of the tournament injured.
Fast-bowling all-rounder Jamie Overton comes in.
Teams:
Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (Capt), Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Prophet, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi.
England: Phil Salt, Ben Duckett, Jamie Smith (wk), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler (capt), Liam Livingstone, Jofra Archer, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood.
Umpires: Joel Wilson (WIS), Sharfuddoula (BAN)
Tv Filling: Ahsan Raza (Pak)
Match Referee: Madual Reference (BAN)
