England's white-ball captain Jos Buttler had a verbal altercation with the BBC reporters ahead of team's T20 World Cup's opening match against Scotland.
England, the defending champions, recently secured a 2-0 series victory over Pakistan. Furthermore, key players like Phil Salt, Will Jacks, and Buttler himself impressed during IPL 2024, showcasing their form in high-pressure situations. This strong showing, not just by England but by players from other nations in the IPL, promises an exciting and competitive T20 World Cup.
England's disastrous show in ODI World Cup 2023
England's T20 World Cup opener against Scotland is overshadowed by a tense exchange between captain Jos Buttler and BBC reporters. The controversy stems from England's disappointing performance at the 50-over World Cup last year under Buttler's leadership. They failed to defend their 2019 title, adopting a cautious approach that garnered criticism. England only managed three wins in the league stage, losing to strong contenders like New Zealand, Afghanistan, South Africa, and India. Victories came against weaker teams like Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Netherlands. Prior to the World Cup in India, Buttler downplayed their chances of retaining the title, aiming to alleviate pressure on the team. However, his words seemed to foreshadow their eventual exit.
On June 3, BBC reporters questioned Buttler about his current mindset heading into the T20 World Cup 2024, specifically if it mirrored his approach from last year. This sparked the heated argument, leaving questions about how this will affect team morale and the upcoming match against Scotland.
When pressed about his mindset, Buttler shut down the conversation, emphasizing his sole focus on the upcoming tournament. However, things went from tense to explosive when the reporters inquired about England's playing XI for the T20 World Cup. This question appeared to particularly irritate Buttler.
"I am not going to tell you the team am I? I am pretty settled with what we are trying to do as a team. I don’t need to sit here and tell you," Buttler said.
In a surprising revelation, Buttler admitted that England isn't overanalyzing the tournament and is taking a more present-moment approach. The wicket-keeper batsman believes it's best for the team to avoid preconceived notions about the pitch's behavior.
"We are trying not to play the game before the game has been played. It’s important not to have too many preconceived ideas and assume the pitch will play in a certain way" Buttler concluded.
England's T20 World Cup squad
Jos Buttler (c), Moeen Ali, Jofra Archer, Jonathan Bairstow, Harry Brook, Sam Curran, Ben Duckett, Tom Hartley, Will Jacks, Chris Jordan, Liam Livingstone, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Reece Topley, Mark Wood
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