Afghanistan made an impressive start to their third match in the 2023 World Cup against England on Sunday, with Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran forming a formidable 100+ run partnership. Gurbaz was the driving force behind the 114-run opening stand, displaying explosive batting against the English bowlers. He particularly took on Sam Curran in the ninth over, smashing the English all-rounder for two fours and a six, as Curran conceded 20 runs in that over.

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However, an unusual incident occurred in the next over while Curran was fielding near the boundary. Frustration seemingly got the better of Curran, as he forcefully shoved a cameraman who had approached for a close-up shot. It appeared that Curran also gestured for the cameraman to stay away from the playing field. Although the commentators didn't address Curran's actions, fans took notice and expressed their disappointment on social media.

Curran had previously participated in both of England's matches in the World Cup before the Afghanistan game, claiming a wicket in each match against New Zealand and Bangladesh. England aimed to build on the momentum gained from their convincing victory over Shakib Al Hasan's side earlier in the week, following their disappointing nine-wicket loss to New Zealand in the World Cup's opening match in Ahmedabad on October 5.

Meanwhile, Afghanistan was still seeking their first win of the campaign. They had started the tournament with a one-sided loss to Bangladesh in Dharamsala and put up a strong batting effort in their second match against hosts India, scoring 272/8. However, they couldn't contain the superior Indian batting lineup, conceding the target with exactly 15 overs to spare.