Setting aside their shattered dreams of defending their title, England now shift their focus to restoring their pride and securing a spot in the 2025 Champions Trophy. They will face the determined Netherlands in the World Cup match scheduled for November 8.
England's performance in the World Cup has been disappointing, with just one victory out of seven matches, placing them at the bottom of the 10-team table. Meanwhile, the Netherlands stands slightly better at ninth place, having secured two wins and four points.
Both teams have been eliminated from contention for a semifinal spot. England's hopes were dashed after a 33-run defeat to their arch-rivals, Australia, on November 4, while the Dutch are also officially out of the race.
The ICC's recent announcement states that the top seven teams and hosts Pakistan will secure berths in the 2025 Champions Trophy, intensifying the competition for the remaining slots.
England, who were champions four years ago, find themselves at the lowest point in this tournament. This World Cup has been a historical low, with no previous England team losing as many games. Almost everything that could go wrong has indeed gone wrong for the Three Lions, and they are no longer considered favourites, even when facing underdogs like the Netherlands.
To prevent the embarrassment of missing out on a spot in the prestigious Champions Trophy, England must emerge victorious in their remaining two matches against the Netherlands and Pakistan. However, this is easier said than done, as both confidence and form have deserted the ageing England side, which initially appeared formidable on paper.
The performance of the batting unit has been extremely disappointing. Openers Jonny Bairstow and Dawid Malan have had a challenging time providing the expected strong start, and even Joe Root's renowned consistency has eluded him. Skipper Jos Buttler and the power-hitting Liam Livingstone are also enduring a severe dip in form.
For England to secure a victory, their batters must step up and deliver.
The England bowling unit, while showing some improvement, remains one-dimensional and lacks diversity. The English bowlers have struggled to maintain consistency, particularly in the demanding conditions of India. Ben Stokes, who is currently playing as a specialist batter and not contributing with the ball, has only added to their challenges.
With Stokes set to undergo knee surgery and David Willey retiring from international cricket after this tournament, there have been suggestions to provide playing opportunities to young talents like Harry Brook and Sam Curran.
The Netherlands will be eager to capitalise on England's vulnerabilities. For the Netherlands, this presents a golden opportunity to stake their claim for a spot in the Champions Trophy.
The 'Orange Army' has arguably exceeded expectations by securing victories over high-performing teams like South Africa and Bangladesh in this World Cup. A win against England could be the crowning achievement of their remarkable campaign.
Brimming with a roster of all-rounders, the Netherlands has demonstrated their capability to secure wins. However, consistency is needed in both their top-order batting and bowling departments.
The Netherlands might consider recalling Vikramjit Singh after the experiment of promoting Wesley Barresi to the opening slot in the match against Afghanistan did not yield the desired results.
Squads
England
Jos Buttler (c), Moeen Ali, Gus Atkinson, Jonny Bairstow, Sam Curran, Liam Livingstone, Dawid Malan, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes, Brydon Carse, David Willey, Mark Wood and Chris Woakes.
Netherlands
Scott Edwards (c & wk), Colin Ackermann, Wesley Barresi (wk), Bas de Leede, Aryan Dutt, Sybrand Engelbrecht, Ryan Klein, Teja Nidamanuru, Max O'Dowd, Saqib Zulfiqar, Shariz Ahmad, Logan van Beek, Roelof van der Merwe, Paul van Meekeren and Vikramjit Singh.
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