Jos Buttler admitted he needed a break after being beaten by India in the second semi-final of the T20 World Cup. He was quick to clarify that it was not to think about his future as England white-ball captain but to take some time and space to reflect on a hugely disappointing exit.
In a format as fickle as Twenty20 cricket, reaching the knockout stages is widely considered a requirement after England’s poor performance in last winter’s 50-over World Cup has cast doubt on Buttler and head coach Matthew Mott. As a leadership partner, doubts arose. So, in that regard, they hit the benchmark.
But the manner in which Guyana lost – a 68-run hammering of Indian spinners after Buttler elected to bowl first – was in fact England’s third defeat in four games against full-member opponents in the tournament. , which means the team’s director, Rob Key, may have a different take. Yet Butler wanted to continue.
Asked whether England’s next white-ball campaign, the Champions League in 2025, was on his mind, Buttler said: “At the moment, absolutely.”[But] I’m not thinking too far ahead, and to be honest, I’m reflecting on today’s loss.
“After a loss like this, you’re ready to have some space to accept it and process it so you can look back not only on this game but the past few months. I think there’s a lot of talent in the English game. As a player It’s our responsibility as an England team to capitalize on that talent and development and make sure we continue to have a good team going forward.
Buttler said he had no regrets about allowing his opponents to toss the ball on a slow, slippery surface, but he did wish he had explored Moeen Ali’s off-spin that day. “We faced a lot of adversity throughout the tournament and we came together as a team and played some really good cricket but came up short when it mattered most,” he added.
As Buttler and his team prepare to hit the ground running, Rohit Sharma is looking ahead. India will take on South Africa, the tournament’s other unbeaten side, in Barbados on Saturday thanks to his crucial 73-run stand with Suryakumar Yadav and Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav shared six wickets.
“It’s very satisfying to win,” Sharma said. “We worked very hard as a unit and it was a huge effort from everyone. We adapted well and the conditions were challenging. That has been our success story so far. Axar and Kuldeep are the gunners and in this situation The situation is difficult to shoot with them.
Newsletter Promotion Post
“They stayed calm under pressure. We had a chat after the first innings and the message was to keep the stumps playing. That’s what they did.
While India secured a spot in the final, South Africa struggled to reach the final. The Proteas were delayed for more than six hours at the Barbados airport after a small plane broke down on the runway following a tight match against Afghanistan in Trinidad on Wednesday night.
