Inglis' century leads Australia to record-breaking run-chase against England in Champions Trophy

LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — Josh Inglis marshaled two-time champion Australia’s record-breaking run chase at the Champions Trophy with a 77-ball century to hand England a five-wicket defeat on Saturday.

Inglis finished with an unbeaten 120 off 86 balls for a maiden ODI hundred that included eight fours and six sixes as Australia cruised to 356-5 in 47.3 overs. It was the highest-ever successful run chase in all ICC ODI tournaments.

Inglis’ terrific power-hitting eclipsed Ben Duckett’s 165, which was the highest-ever individual knock in the history of Champions Trophy and had anchored England to a score of 351-8 in their Group B opener.

“Over the moon,” said Inglis, who was born and raised in Leeds before his family moved to Australia when he was 14. “Not too much talk at half-time, (but) knew it would be tough (for England) with the dew.”

Australia's chase got off to a rocky start as Jofra Archer and Mark Wood removed Travis Head (6) and captain Steven Smith (5) in successive overs before the Australian middle-order batters countercharged the fast bowlers.

Matthew Short (63) and Marnus Labuschagne (47) combined in a 95-run stand with fast bowler Brydon Carse going for well over nine runs an over in his four-over spell before England put in spinners in the middle overs.

Adil Rashid denied Labuschagne a half century when Jos Buttler held on to a sharp catch at short covers and then Liam Livingstone took a smart low return catch to dismiss Short as Australia slipped to 136-4.

However, with dew setting in, Inglis and Alex Carey (69) mastermind the run-chase perfectly as it became difficult for the bowlers to handle the wet ball. The two batters shared a 146-run stand off 116 balls, but England missed an opportunity when Australia still needed 104 for victory.

“The two keepers have been batting beautifully (and are) in great form,” Australia captain Steven Smith said. “Josh didn’t get out of second gear, shots all round the ground. I don’t know if Josh still has an English passport, but he’s not going anywhere!”

Archer missed a regulation catch of Carey in the outfield in Rashid’s penultimate over before he completed his half century and Inglis smashed Archer for two boundaries in the next over.

Carey was finally dismissed when he drove to Buttler at mid-off in Carse’s return spell but Glenn Maxwell finished on 32 not out off 15 balls and Inglis, who raised his century with a pulled six off Archer, sealed the win in similar fashion with another a six off Wood at mid-wicket.

“A fantastic game,” Buttler said. “Fantastic innings from Inglis.”

Duckett became the first batter in the history of Champions Trophy to score more than 150 runs after Smith won the toss and elected to field on a flat wicket.

Duckett smashed his 165 off 143 balls with 17 fours and three sixes as the Australian second-string pace attack struggled on a wicket devoid of grass at a newly renovated Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

New Zealand batter Nathan Astle held the previous record after he amassed an unbeaten 145 against the United States at the Oval in 2004. The Black Caps’ 347-4 in the same game was the previous highest team total of the tournament.

Duckett laid a solid foundation for England’s strong finish when he combined in a 158-run stand with Joe Root, who made 68 off 78 balls.

Duckett was dominant against the pace with his down-the-ground drives and was not afraid to reverse sweep against Australia’s best bowler on show, Adam Zampa (2-64).

Labuschagne (2-41) dismissed Duckett in the 48th over when the left-hander missed a straight ball while going for a sweep against the leg-spinner and was out leg before wicket.

“Duckett has been brilliant at the top of the order in all formats," Buttler said. "He’s been threatening a big contribution for some time. Shame it was in a losing cause.”

Australia, which came into the event without Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc, did make early inroads.

Ben Dwarshuis (3-66) struck inside his first three overs when Carey, handing over the wicketkeeping gloves to Inglis, plucked a sensational diving catch on the edge of the 30-yard circle to dismiss Phil Salt (10) and then grabbed a hard drive of newly promoted No. 3 batter Jamie Smith (15).

Duckett and Root raised England’s first century stand in ODIs this year with their better than run-a-ball partnership. Duckett raised his century off 95 balls with two straight boundaries against Spencer Johnson, who was taken out of the attack after 0-54 off his seven overs.

Zampa broke the threatening stand when he had Root trapped lbw in the 31st over and then Carey picked up another brilliant catch at point to dismiss Harry Brook for 3. But Duckett continued to score at brisk pace despite Buttler (23) and Livingstone (14) falling in quick succession while looking for acceleration.

Archer played a little cameo of 21 off 10 balls as he smacked Labuschagne for 12 runs off the final three balls and England made 83 runs off the final 10 overs.

AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

Australia's Glenn Maxwell plays a shot during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between Australia and England, in Lahore, Pakistan, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

Australia's Matthew Short bats during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between Australia and England, in Lahore, Pakistan, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

Australia's Alex Carey bats during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between Australia and England, in Lahore, Pakistan, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

Australia's Josh Inglis, right, celebrates with teammate Glenn Maxwell after playing winning shot during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between Australia and England, in Lahore, Pakistan, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

Australia's Josh Inglis is congratulated by teammate Glenn Maxwell after scoring century during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between Australia and England, in Lahore, Pakistan, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

Australia's Josh Inglis bats during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between Australia and England, in Lahore, Pakistan, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

Australia's Josh Inglis celebrates after scoring century during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between Australia and England, in Lahore, Pakistan, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

Australia's Steve Smith, second left, and teammates celebrate after the dismissal of England's Jos Buttler during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between Australia and England, in Lahore, Pakistan, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

Australia's Adam Zampa, right, bowls as England's Jos Buttler watches during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between Australia and England, in Lahore, Pakistan, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

England's Ben Duckett celebrates after completing 150 runs during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between Australia and England, in Lahore, Pakistan, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

England's Ben Duckett, left, is congratulated by Liam Livingstone after he completing 150 runs during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between Australia and England, in Lahore, Pakistan, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

Australia's Steve Smith, third left, chats with teammates in a drink break during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between Australia and England, in Lahore, Pakistan, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

England's Ben Duckett plays a shot during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between Australia and England, in Lahore, Pakistan, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

England's Joe Root bats during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between Australia and England, in Lahore, Pakistan, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

England's Ben Duckett celebrates after scoring century during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between Australia and England, in Lahore, Pakistan, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

Australia's Steve Smith smiles during a press conference regarding their ICC Champions Trophy cricket match against Australia, in Lahore, Pakistan, Friday, Feb. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/K.M Chaudary)

England's captain Jos Buttler speaks during a press conference regarding their ICC Champions Trophy cricket match against Australia, in Lahore, Pakistan, Friday, Feb. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/K.M Chaudary)

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump said Iran wants to negotiate with Washington after his threat to strike the Islamic Republic over its bloody crackdown on protesters, a move coming as activists said Monday the death toll in the nationwide demonstrations rose to at least 544.

Iran had no immediate reaction to the news, which came after the foreign minister of Oman — long an interlocutor between Washington and Tehran — traveled to Iran this weekend. It also remains unclear just what Iran could promise, particularly as Trump has set strict demands over its nuclear program and its ballistic missile arsenal, which Tehran insists is crucial for its national defense.

Meanwhile Monday, Iran called for pro-government demonstrators to head to the streets in support of the theocracy, a show of force after days of protests directly challenging the rule of 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iranian state television aired chants from the crowd, who shouted “Death to America!” and “Death to Israel!”

Trump and his national security team have been weighing a range of potential responses against Iran including cyberattacks and direct strikes by the U.S. or Israel, according to two people familiar with internal White House discussions who were not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

“The military is looking at it, and we’re looking at some very strong options,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One on Sunday night. Asked about Iran’s threats of retaliation, he said: “If they do that, we will hit them at levels that they’ve never been hit before.”

Trump said that his administration was in talks to set up a meeting with Tehran, but cautioned that he may have to act first as reports of the death toll in Iran mount and the government continues to arrest protesters.

“I think they’re tired of being beat up by the United States,” Trump said. “Iran wants to negotiate.”

He added: “The meeting is being set up, but we may have to act because of what’s happening before the meeting. But a meeting is being set up. Iran called, they want to negotiate.”

Iran through country's parliamentary speaker warned Sunday that the U.S. military and Israel would be “legitimate targets” if America uses force to protect demonstrators.

More than 10,600 people also have been detained over the two weeks of protests, said the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, which has been accurate in previous unrest in recent years and gave the death toll. It relies on supporters in Iran crosschecking information. It said 496 of the dead were protesters and 48 were with security forces.

With the internet down in Iran and phone lines cut off, gauging the demonstrations from abroad has grown more difficult. The Associated Press has been unable to independently assess the toll. Iran’s government has not offered overall casualty figures.

Those abroad fear the information blackout is emboldening hard-liners within Iran’s security services to launch a bloody crackdown. Protesters flooded the streets in the country’s capital and its second-largest city on Saturday night into Sunday morning. Online videos purported to show more demonstrations Sunday night into Monday, with a Tehran official acknowledging them in state media.

In Tehran, a witness told the AP that the streets of the capital empty at the sunset call to prayers each night. By the Isha, or nighttime prayer, the streets are deserted.

Part of that stems from the fear of getting caught in the crackdown. Police sent the public a text message that warned: “Given the presence of terrorist groups and armed individuals in some gatherings last night and their plans to cause death, and the firm decision to not tolerate any appeasement and to deal decisively with the rioters, families are strongly advised to take care of their youth and teenagers.”

Another text, which claimed to come from the intelligence arm of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, also directly warned people not to take part in demonstrations.

“Dear parents, in view of the enemy’s plan to increase the level of naked violence and the decision to kill people, ... refrain from being on the streets and gathering in places involved in violence, and inform your children about the consequences of cooperating with terrorist mercenaries, which is an example of treason against the country,” the text warned.

The witness spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity due to the ongoing crackdown.

The demonstrations began Dec. 28 over the collapse of the Iranian rial currency, which trades at over 1.4 million to $1, as the country’s economy is squeezed by international sanctions in part levied over its nuclear program. The protests intensified and grew into calls directly challenging Iran’s theocracy.

Nikhinson reported from aboard Air Force One.

In this frame grab from video obtained by the AP outside Iran, a masked demonstrator holds a picture of Iran's Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi during a protest in Tehran, Iran, Friday, January. 9, 2026. (UGC via AP)

In this frame grab from footage circulating on social media from Iran shows protesters taking to the streets despite an intensifying crackdown as the Islamic Republic remains cut off from the rest of the world in Tehran, Iran, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026.(UGC via AP)

In this frame grab from footage circulating on social media from Iran showed protesters once again taking to the streets of Tehran despite an intensifying crackdown as the Islamic Republic remains cut off from the rest of the world in Tehran, Iran, Saturday Jan. 10, 2026. (UGC via AP)