Jos Buttler admits he could be axed as England captain after Afghanistan clash

England skipper Jos Buttler is under no illusions about the repercussions the Champions Trophy game against Afghanistan could have on his captaincy, yet he remains unburdened by the pressure.

Following the washout between Australia and South Africa, victory in their final two Group B matches is imperative for England's semi-final ambitions, beginning with the Afghanistan challenge.

The team's recent loss to Australia marks their fifth consecutive ODI defeat, a slump that has seen England relinquish their hold over both white-ball World Cups during a spell where they've lost 17 of their last 24 ODIs.

With Brendon McCullum freshly at the helm as head coach, it's Buttler who faces potential consequences should England face an early exit from yet another major tournament. On the prospect of high stakes for himself before the encounter at the Gaddafi Stadium, Buttler conceded: "Yeah, absolutely."

He highlighted the desire any England captain has to lead successfully, saying: "I think any time as an England captain, you want to perform, you want to perform well and you want to lead your team to winning games of cricket. We haven't been doing that enough in the recent past.

"But as soon as you catch yourself thinking about any negative things, you just try and completely forget that and focus on all of the positive things that could go right and where you can take the team."

His mindset is clear: "I'm very much focused on that."

Following their defeat to Australia, England's cricket team is set for a slight squad adjustment as Jamie Overton steps in for Brydon Carse, who suffered a toe injury and is returning home.

As the team faces Afghanistan next—a side that clinched a surprising 69-run victory at their last World Cup encounter—England's skipper Jos Buttler acknowledges the persistent threat of Afghan spinners.

Although Mujeeb Ur Rahman will be absent this time, the left-arm wrist-spinner Noor Ahmad remains a significant challenge, particularly as England have had issues with spin on Asian pitches.

Buttler emphasised respect for their opponents' spin talent: "I give them lots of respect, they have a unique style in some senses, some great spin options, Rashid and Noor are obviously two standout guys that we need to prepare really well for.

"But as much as we look at the opposition, it's focusing on ourselves, bringing the best version of our cricket and being confident that that would be enough to win the game."

As the match approaches, there is external pressure on England to consider boycotting the fixture amid criticisms of Afghanistan's rollback of women's rights under the Taliban, which includes the effective ban on women participating in sports, restrictions on female employment, and the barring of girls over the age of 12 from secondary and higher education.

Richard Thompson, the chair of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), has labelled the situation in Afghanistan as "gender apartheid" and is calling for a united response from the International Cricket Council.

Amnesty International has also appealed to the teams to keep the plight of Afghan women and girls at the forefront of global consciousness.

Buttler addressed the issue on Tuesday, stating: "I've taken a lot of advice from lots of experts."

He added that Rob Key, England men's director of cricket, and the ECB have been supportive, providing information and education around the matter and helping to shape an ECB decision.

"It's a very sad plight of women and girls in Afghanistan and the struggles that they're facing, but we hope that this game can be a source of hope and enjoyment in what is obviously a tough time," he added.