Defending champions England are having a tough time in the ODI World Cup 2023. They've won only one of their first six matches, which has ended their hopes of qualifying for the semi-finals. Currently, at the bottom of the 10-team table, they're hoping to end the tournament on a positive note. The team's struggles have mostly been due to poor batting performances, with just one score over 200 runs in their last four matches.
England coach Matthew Mott has come under intense scrutiny for the team's performance. However, England batter Dawid Malan believes it's the players who need to take responsibility for their on-field performance and not blame the coach. Malan stressed that the team has the necessary support, and it's up to the players to step up and perform.
This campaign has been the worst ever for a defending champion in the ODI World Cup. Despite the challenges, Malan hopes that they can turn things around in their remaining matches and change the narrative by putting up strong performances on the field.
"Mott is not the one walking out on the field. We are being given everything we need to perform. As players, we need to take responsibility when we cross that rope," Malan told BBC after England's loss against India in Lucknow.
In the Lucknow match against India, England delivered an impressive performance in bowling, limiting India to a mere 229/9 in the first innings. However, with the bat, the England team couldn't meet expectations and was dismissed for only 129 runs in 34.5 overs.
"The facilities and work, everything is being done as it always has been. We just haven't been able to find a way to get wins on the board. It has been frustrating from a players' point of view because we know we're better than that," Malan told BBC.
"I'm not involved in the selection or any of those things, so I don't know how that works or who is in charge of all that, but as players, we need to take responsibility when we cross that rope," he added.
This is the toughest campaign ever for a defending champion in the history of the ODI World Cup. Malan recognised that blame would be placed on someone, but he hoped they could change the story by winning their last three group stage matches.
"I guess whenever you have a poor campaign there is always someone who's going to be targeted whether it be the captain, players, coach or selectors. People's jobs are being scrutinised and players' careers are being scrutinised," Said Malan.
"The only way we can get the noise off the coach is by performing. And it is up to us in the next three games to win these games and take that narrative away because we have not performed," he Continued.
"I know people say that a lot when their backs are against the wall but genuinely, we still back each other, we're still here for each other. We just haven't been able to put those performances out on the pitch," concluded English batsman Malan.
(Powered by AI, Inputs by India Today)
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