ENGLAND crashed to a humiliating 69-run defeat against Afghanistan and now their World Cup campaign is on the brink of ruin.
Jos Buttler’s team produced a performance of staggering ineptitude with ball and bat in Delhi against the jubilant Afghans.
Having already lost to New Zealand and beaten Bangladesh, England will probably have to win five of their remaining six group matches to reach the semi-finals.
They can at least take comfort from knowing they lost three group games in 2019 and still went on to win the tournament.
It was England’s biggest shock loss in the World Cup since losing to Ireland in Bangalore in 2011.
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Afghanistan were bottom of the table before the match and had won just one of their previous 17 World Cup encounters - a one-wicket victory over Scotland in 2015.
They are coached by former England batter Jonathan Trott.
After being put into bat, the Afghans made a hurricane start with opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz blazing 80 from just 57 balls.
Chris Woakes began with five wides from his first ball and was again below his best, conceding 41 runs in four wicketless overs. Sam Curran went for 46 in four overs - including 20 runs from his second over and 18 from his fourth.
But leggie Adil Rashid took three wickets and part-time spinner Liam Livingstone bowled ten straight overs for just 33 runs.
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England’s problems with the bat started in the second over when Jonny Bairstow was given out lbw. He reviewed and the DRS verdict was two umpire’s calls - but he still had to go.
Then Joe Root was bowled, Dawid Malan popped a catch to short extra cover and Buttler missed an inswinger.
Afghanistan’s spinners applied a stranglehold in the middle overs and wickets continued to fall.
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Only Harry Brook offered much resistance but he was caught behind off twirly man Majeeb ur Rahman for 66.
