Afghanistan and England are set to face off in a crucial Group B encounter of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Wednesday.Afghanistan entered the tournament riding high on their recent successes. Their impressive performances in the 2023 ODI World Cup and 2024 T20 World Cup have established them as a force to be reckoned with.Led by Hashmatullah Shahidi, the team has shown remarkable improvement, although they were outplayed by New Zealand in their Champions Trophy opener.England find themselves in a transitional phase under the new leadership of Brendon McCullum in white-ball cricket.They also lost their tournament opener as they were unable to deny an Australia side lacking their first-choice pace attack.talkSPORT BET welcome offer – Get £20 in free bets*Afghanistan v England Champions Trophy TipsOver 4.5 Afghanistan Sixes – 21/20Rahmanullah Gurbaz to score 50+ runs – 5/2Adil Rashid to be England’s top bowler – 13/5Atalans have maximum potentialAfghanistan cricket has come a long way since their first ODI meeting with England at the 2015 Cricket World Cup.England closed out a nine-wicket victory in that one with 41 balls to spare, despite being in the midst of a nightmare campaign, and delivered a 150-run thrashing to the Atalans on route to winning the 2019 edition on home soil.But when the two sides met in India in the 2023 tournament, Afghanistan ran out comfortable winners and it would be no surprise to see them finish on top again on a subcontinental wicket.England are considering a change of tack after their quick bowlers took 3-226 combined across 26.3 overs in Saturday’s Group B defeat to Australia.Leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed could be included as a second frontline spin option in addition to Adil Rashid for Wednesday’s clash in Lahore.Or Jamie Overton could get the nod to replace Brydon Carse, who is suffering from a blister on one of his toes.Either option is likely to be targeted by Afghanistan’s aggressive batters, who will look to go over the top whenever they get the opportunity.Opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz led the Afghan assault in Delhi two years ago, hitting four of his team’s eight maximums as they posted a winning total of 284 all out.England then mustered only one six in their reply to underline how good a batting performance it was by their rivals.England’s attack gave up nine sixes against Australia on Saturday and may struggle to contain Afghanistan to less than five in Lahore.Gurbaz set for a big inningsRahmanullah has been a revelation for Afghanistan at the top of the order. His aggressive batting style and ability to take on bowlers from the outset make him a key player for his team.The flat pitch expected at Lahore should suit his attacking instincts, potentially setting the stage for a big score.The right-hander has struck three centuries and a 50 in his last nine ODI innings.His recent form and the performance he produced against England in the 2023 World Cup, when he top-scored with 80, suggest he’s primed for a significant innings. If he can navigate the initial powerplay successfully, a half-century or more is well within his reach.Rashid crucial to England’s bowling hopesVeteran leg-spinner Adil Rashid remains England’s trump card, especially in subcontinental conditions.His experience and variety make him a threat throughout the innings and particularly when England want to put the squeeze on in the middle overs.The Lahore pitch is expected to offer some assistance to spinners, which could play into Rashid’s hands.talkSPORT BET welcome offer – Get £20 in free bets*All odds correct at time of writing.*18+ New customers only. Opt in & bet £10+ via mobile on any sports at 2.00+ odds within 7 days. No Cash out. Get 4x £5 Free Bets on selected markets. Free bets expire in 7 days. Card payments & Apple Pay only. T&Cs apply, see below. GambleAware.org | Please gamble responsiblyRemember to gamble responsiblyA responsible gambler is someone who:Establishes time and monetary limits before playingOnly gambles with money they can afford to loseNever chase their lossesDoesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressedGamCare – www.gamcare.org.ukGamble Aware – www.begambleaware.orgFor help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to www.gamstop.co.uk to be excluded from all UK-regulated gambling websites.Commercial content notice: Taking one of the bookmaker offers featured in this article may result in a payment to talkSPORT. 18+. T&Cs apply. Begambleaware.org