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England’s star batter Joe Root etched his name into the record books with a stunning century against Afghanistan in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy. Root’s remarkable knock not only kept England in the hunt for a semi-final spot but also helped the ongoing tournament achieve a historic milestone the highest number of centuries in a single edition of the Champions Trophy.
The high-scoring encounter at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore saw centuries in both innings, with Afghanistan’s Ibrahim Zadran scoring a magnificent 177 in the first innings before Root responded with a composed ton for England. This marked the third instance in the tournament where centuries were recorded in both innings, a testament to the batting prowess on display in the 2025 Champions Trophy.
Champions Trophy 2025 Sets All-Time Record
With Root’s ton, the tournament has now witnessed an unprecedented 11 centuries, the highest-ever recorded in a single edition of the Champions Trophy. What makes this feat even more remarkable is that the tournament is only in its eighth match, with seven more games, including the knockout rounds, still to be played.
So far, seven of the eight participating teams have registered at least one century in the tournament. Hosts Pakistan remain the only team yet to have a centurion, though they still have one match left in the group stage against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi on February 27.
India and England have produced two centurions each, with Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Ben Duckett, and Joe Root making it to the elite list. New Zealand leads the tally with three centurions—Tom Latham, Will Young, and Rachin Ravindra while Australia’s Josh Inglis and Bangladesh’s Towhid Hridoy have also scored centuries in the competition.
Joe Root is the greatest player ever born for England, whether in Tests or ODIs. pic.twitter.com/OzjHcBSAIw
— Silme (@silme47) February 26, 2025
Joe Root Ends Six-Year Wait for an ODI Century
Root’s century against Afghanistan was particularly significant on a personal level, as it marked his first ODI ton in almost six years. His last century in the format came against the West Indies in 2019. The 34-year-old had faced multiple exclusions from England’s ODI squad, including during the 2023 World Cup in India. However, his stellar performances in Test cricket paved the way for his return to the 50-over format, and he has now repaid the faith shown in him by the selectors.
With this knock, Root brought up his 17th ODI century and his 53rd across all formats, equaling the legendary Brian Lara in the list of most international centuries. Additionally, he now holds the record for scoring the most centuries by an England cricketer in professional cricket.
Joe Root scored his first ODI century in 6 years. 🤯 pic.twitter.com/sw7wFiVitY
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) February 26, 2025
Ibrahim Zadran Shines with Historic Knock
Afghanistan opener Ibrahim Zadran also scripted history with a phenomenal 177-run innings in the first innings of the match. This became the highest individual score in the history of the ICC Champions Trophy, surpassing Ben Duckett’s record, which was set earlier in the tournament against Australia.
Despite Root’s heroics, England found themselves in a precarious situation in their chase of 326 runs. The Three Lions were struggling at 133/4 when Root stepped up to steady the innings. While Harry Brook and Jos Buttler provided some support, England’s hopes of staying in the semi-final race depended on Root’s ability to anchor the chase till the end.
As the Champions Trophy 2025 continues to deliver breathtaking cricketing moments, all eyes will be on the upcoming matches to see if the record tally of centuries continues to grow. With the knockout stages still to come, the tournament promises to be one of the most memorable editions in history.
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