Skipper Jos Buttler praised the character of his England facet as they breathed new life into their Twenty20 World Cup on Tuesday, nevertheless it was curtains for Afghanistan.
England’s Captain Jos Buttler (R) shares the snicker with teammates after their win through the ICC males’s Twenty20 World Cup 2022 cricket match between England and New Zealand at The Gabba on 1 November 2022 in Brisbane. Picture: Patrick HAMILTON/AFP
BRISBANE – Skipper Jos Buttler praised the character of his England facet as they breathed new life into their Twenty20 World Cup on Tuesday, nevertheless it was curtains for Afghanistan.
Buttler performed a key function with the bat in an important 20-run win over New Zealand on the Gabba, which propelled England into the highest two of Group 1 with one spherical of matches left.
The Black Caps, final yr’s overwhelmed finalists, nonetheless prime the group however they, England and Australia are all now on 5 factors.
Hosts and holders Australia are third and in actual hazard due to their vastly inferior web run price. Only the highest two sides undergo to the semi-finals.
New Zealand play Ireland and Australia face already eradicated Afghanistan on Friday because the struggle for the final 4 goes right down to the wire.
England, who together with the hosts had been the pre-tournament favourites, conflict with Asian champions Sri Lanka the following day.
Buttler, who smashed 73 off 47 balls to guide England to 179-6 in Brisbane, stated their scientific efficiency made up for a shock defeat earlier within the Super 12 stage to Ireland.
“Really proud of the guys tonight, to come out with freedom and express ourselves with our talent, I was really proud of the character we showed,” stated the captain.
Buttler, who gained the toss and selected to bat in opposition to a facet who might have sealed a spot within the final 4 with victory, added: “We’re a really dangerous team, we’ve got match-winners throughout.
“Having not performed our greatest (till now), we had been determined to point out that at this time.”
Buttler said it was to England’s advantage that they play the day after Australia in the fight for a semi-final spot.
“There’s a little bit of a profit enjoying that final recreation to know precisely what’s required of us. We’re going to anticipate a extremely robust recreation in opposition to Sri Lanka.
“But we’ll go to Sydney full of confidence,” Buttler added.
Glenn Phillips led the Black Caps fightback of their reply, however as soon as he fell for 62, the New Zealand problem dissolved.
The Kiwis had been left to rue two huge dropped possibilities when hazard man Buttler was on the crease.
“I guess they never help, he’s a very, very good player,” stated all-rounder Mitch Santner of the failed makes an attempt to get Buttler out.
“We knew the chase was going to be a challenge but I think we put ourselves in a pretty good position to get there, we just fell a bit short.”
‘ALL GUNS BLAZING’
In the primary recreation of the day in Brisbane, Dhananjaya de Silva scored an unbeaten 66 as Sri Lanka saved their slim World Cup hopes alive with a six-wicket win over Afghanistan.
Sri Lanka are fourth within the desk, a degree behind the highest three. They might want to beat England and hope different outcomes go their method.
Assistant coach Naveed Nawaz stated it might be “all guns blazing” for his facet.
“I think we’ll have to go in a very positive mindset, thinking whatever the chance that we have to get in there, explore it,” he stated.
“And whatever this risk that we have to take to get into the semis, we’ve got to take it.”
Afghanistan are backside of the group and can’t progress into the knockout phases.
This was their second defeat, with two different matches washed out by the rain.
“I’d say there’s been some good parts and there’s been some really average parts,” stated Afghanistan’s coach Jonathan Trott, weighing up a marketing campaign that has simply by no means obtained going.
“We haven’t got things right,” the previous England batsman stated.
“We seem to be able to get ourselves into positions but then not utilise them and actually then kick on with the batting.”
On Wednesday, in a double-header at Adelaide Oval, Zimbabwe face the winless Netherlands and India play Bangladesh, each in Group 2.
With every group having two video games to go, South Africa prime the desk with 5 factors and are within the driving seat for a spot within the semi-finals.
India and Bangladesh are second and third respectively, each on 4 factors. Zimbabwe have three factors.