England Cricket Team vs Afghanistan National Cricket Team Timeline: Full History

The England cricket team vs Afghanistan national cricket team timeline covers a relatively short but eventful period, beginning with their first official meeting at the 2012 ICC World Twenty20. Since then, the two sides have faced each other seven times across ODI and T20I cricket, with England winning the first five encounters before Afghanistan claimed back-to-back ODI victories in 2023 and 2025.

If you want to understand how the England vs Afghanistan match history has changed, the results tell an interesting story. England initially had a clear advantage, but Afghanistan gradually became a much tougher opponent in major ICC tournaments. Their latest meeting came in the 2025 Champions Trophy, where Afghanistan secured an eight-run win. As of September 2026, the teams have not played a senior men’s international against each other during the year.

England Cricket Team vs Afghanistan National Cricket Team Timeline: All Matches

The england cricket team vs afghanistan national cricket team timeline begins in 2012 and includes seven official senior men’s matches. Every meeting so far has taken place in an ICC tournament, with four ODIs and three T20Is making up the head-to-head record.

2012 – England Begin With a Big Win

England and Afghanistan first met in the 2012 ICC World Twenty20 in Colombo. England batted first and put 196/5 on the board, with Luke Wright falling just one run short of a century after making 99 not out from 55 balls.

Afghanistan struggled during the chase and were dismissed for 80 in 17.2 overs. England won by 116 runs, giving them a commanding start to their record against Afghanistan.

2015 – England Win the First ODI Meeting

The first ODI between the teams came at the 2015 Cricket World Cup in Sydney. Afghanistan scored 111/7 from 36.2 overs in a rain-affected innings, with Chris Jordan taking two wickets for England.

The rain also shortened England’s chase. Their target was revised to 101 from 25 overs, which England reached at 101/1 in 18.1 overs. Ian Bell remained unbeaten on 52 as England secured a nine-wicket victory.

2016 – England Survive an Afghanistan Challenge

The next meeting took place during the 2016 World Twenty20 in Delhi. England found themselves in trouble at 57/6 after being sent in to bat.

Moeen Ali and David Willey helped England recover, taking their side to 142/7. Afghanistan made a determined attempt in reply but finished on 127/9. England won by 15 runs, although Afghanistan’s performance showed the progress they were making in international white-ball cricket.

2019 – Eoin Morgan Powers England to 397

The 2019 Cricket World Cup produced England’s biggest ODI win against Afghanistan.

England scored 397/6 at Old Trafford, with Eoin Morgan smashing 148 from only 71 deliveries. His innings contained 17 sixes and became one of the most memorable World Cup knocks of the tournament.

Afghanistan could not match that scoring rate and finished on 247/8. England therefore won by 150 runs, giving them two wins from their first two ODI meetings with Afghanistan.

2022 – Sam Curran Takes Five Wickets

England and Afghanistan met again at the 2022 T20 World Cup in Perth. Afghanistan were bowled out for 112, with Sam Curran doing most of the damage.

Curran took 5/10 from 3.4 overs, becoming the first England men’s bowler to take a five-wicket haul in a T20 international. England eventually reached 113/5 in 18.1 overs and won by five wickets.

2023 – Afghanistan Record Their First Win

The 2023 Cricket World Cup marked a major change in the england cricket team vs afghanistan national cricket team timeline.

Afghanistan produced 284 in Delhi, led by Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s 80 and Ikram Alikhil’s 58. Their spinners then put England under pressure during the chase. Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Rashid Khan took three wickets each as England were dismissed for 215.

Afghanistan won by 69 runs. It was their first victory over England in any format and one of their most significant World Cup results.

2025 – Afghanistan Win a Close Champions Trophy Match

The latest meeting came at the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy in Lahore. Afghanistan posted an imposing 325/7, with Ibrahim Zadran producing a remarkable 177 from 146 balls.

England’s response was led by Joe Root, who scored 120. With England still within reach of the target, Azmatullah Omarzai delivered a decisive spell, finishing with 5/58.

England were eventually bowled out for 317, handing Afghanistan an eight-run victory. The result meant Afghanistan had beaten England in their previous two ODI meetings at major ICC tournaments.

England vs Afghanistan Head-to-Head Record

The overall England vs Afghanistan head-to-head record includes seven official senior men’s matches: four ODIs and three T20Is.

England have won all three T20I meetings, while the ODI record is evenly split. Afghanistan’s two victories both came in ODIs and both were achieved at major ICC tournaments.

England vs Afghanistan ODI Record

The four ODI meetings have produced two wins for each team.

The progression is particularly notable. England comfortably won the first two encounters, while Afghanistan responded with victories in 2023 and 2025.

England vs Afghanistan T20I Record

England have a perfect record in the three official T20I meetings.

The margin of England’s victories has varied considerably, from a 116-run win in their first meeting to a five-wicket result in 2022.

Biggest Wins in England vs Afghanistan Cricket

England’s biggest win

England’s largest victory came in the 2012 World Twenty20, when they defeated Afghanistan by 116 runs. Their biggest ODI win came in the 2019 World Cup, when they won by 150 runs.

Afghanistan’s biggest win

Afghanistan’s largest win by runs came at the 2023 World Cup. They defeated England by 69 runs after making 284 in Delhi.

Their 2025 Champions Trophy victory was much closer, with Afghanistan winning by only eight runs after England made a strong attempt to chase 326.

Players Who Made Their Mark

Several players have produced standout performances during this match history.

• Luke Wright remains associated with the first meeting after his unbeaten 99 in 2012.
• Eoin Morgan delivered the biggest individual innings by an England batter in this fixture, scoring 148 in the 2019 World Cup.
• Sam Curran produced the best England bowling performance against Afghanistan with his 5/10 in the 2022 T20 World Cup.
• For Afghanistan, Rahmanullah Gurbaz played an important role in their historic 2023 victory with 80 from 57 balls.
• Ibrahim Zadran then produced the highest individual score in this matchup, making 177 in the 2025 Champions Trophy.
• Azmatullah Omarzai completed the 2025 victory with a five-wicket haul, finishing with 5/58.

Why England and Afghanistan Do Not Have a Regular Bilateral Series

Unlike many international opponents, England and Afghanistan have not developed a regular bilateral ODI or T20I series. All seven official senior men’s meetings have come through ICC tournaments.

The reason is partly linked to the ECB’s position on women’s cricket in Afghanistan. The board has opposed bilateral men’s fixtures while the Taliban continues to restrict women’s participation in sport. This means their future meetings are more likely to happen at events such as the Cricket World Cup, T20 World Cup or Champions Trophy unless the ECB’s policy changes.

What Does the Record Tell You?

The numbers show two different stories depending on the format. In T20Is, England remain unbeaten against Afghanistan. Their three wins came in 2012, 2016 and 2022. ODIs are more evenly matched. England won the first two meetings, but Afghanistan won the next two. Their 2023 World Cup victory showed they could beat England through a strong combination of batting and spin bowling, while the 2025 Champions Trophy result proved they could also hold their nerve in a close run chase.

That change is one of the main reasons the England cricket team vs Afghanistan national cricket team timeline has become more interesting in recent years.

Conclusion

The England cricket team vs Afghanistan national cricket team timeline has grown from England’s early dominance into a much more balanced ODI contest. England won the first five official meetings, but Afghanistan changed the record with victories at the 2023 World Cup and 2025 Champions Trophy.

The current head-to-head record stands at 5-2 in England’s favour overall, while the ODI record is level at 2-2. England still hold a perfect 3-0 record in T20Is.

As of September 2026, there has been no England-Afghanistan men’s international during the year. Their next meeting will depend largely on ICC tournament schedules and the ECB’s policy on bilateral cricket with Afghanistan.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1. How many times have England and Afghanistan played cricket?

The senior men’s teams have played seven official matches against each other: four ODIs and three T20Is.

Q2. Who has won more matches between England and Afghanistan?

England have won five of the seven official meetings, while Afghanistan have won two.

Q3. When did Afghanistan first beat England?

Afghanistan first defeated England on October 15, 2023, at the Cricket World Cup in Delhi. They won the match by 69 runs.

Q4. When was the latest England vs Afghanistan match?

The latest meeting took place on February 26, 2025, at the ICC Champions Trophy in Lahore. Afghanistan won by eight runs.

Q5. Did England and Afghanistan play in 2026?

No. As of September 3, 2026, they had not played a senior men’s international against each other during the year.

Q6. Has Afghanistan beaten England in a T20I?

No. England have won all three official T20I meetings between the sides.