Former England captain Nasser Hussain believes the defending champions are under the pump in the ongoing T20 World Cup. The Jos Buttler-led team is standing on the elimination doors in the T20 World Cup after their 36-run loss against arch-rivals Australia.
England’s opening match against Scotland ended in no result as rain played spoilsport. In Group B, Scotland has won two out of their three matches with one no-result against England.
Australia has qualified for the Super 8 and ergo, England finds themselves staring down the barrel. The Three Lions will need to win their remaining two matches against Namibia and Oman by huge margins and hope other results go their way, to qualify for the Super 8.
Ergo, Hussain reckons captain Jos Buttler and head coach Matthew Moth are vulnerable as fans aren’t happy with the team’s performance.
Nasser Hussain wrote for Daily Mail, “Make no mistake: Buttler and head coach Matthew Mott are vulnerable. You can absorb one poor World Cup, especially when you began as double world champions, but two letdowns would be trickier to explain away. It’s up to England to show what a good side they are.”
Meanwhile, England could only win three out of their nine matches in the ODI World Cup 2023 in India and finished in seventh place in the standings.
“With their struggles at the 50-over World Cup in India fresh in the memory, I can see why the fans aren’t happy. But they must now avoid the mistake they made in India, and stop chasing their tails. Pick the best team for the conditions in front of you, not the one you should have picked for the game before,” he said.
England’s veteran Jonny Bairstow could only score seven runs against arch-rivals Australia but Hussain reckons the team management should back him.
“By far the easiest time to bat in that innings was in the powerplay, and, for me, Bairstow should still play against Oman tomorrow if England decide the pitch at Antigua’s Sir Vivian Richards Stadium is a good one. If they think it may turn, then Ben Duckett comes into play, with his sweeps and reverse-sweeps,” Hussain said.
England will take on Oman at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, North Sound, Antigua on Thursday.
