England’s Adil Rashid Backs T20 World Cup Defense Despite ODI Woes
England’s star leg-spinner Adil Rashid is brushing aside their recent struggles in the 50-over format, expressing confidence in their ability to defend their T20 World Cup title in June.
Speaking at a launch event, Rashid acknowledged England’s disappointing performance in the 2023 Cricket World Cup, where they finished a lowly seventh. However, he emphasized the difference in formats: “The 50 overs was completely different,” he said. “We try not to mix both together.”
England’s T20 form is a stark contrast. They were dominant champions in the 2022 edition, losing just once throughout the tournament.
“We’re confident,” Rashid declared. “We’ve got the team, the mindset, the players, the experience. If we go out there with the same belief, I think we’ll hopefully go all the way.”
No Regrets Over Past Tournament for England
Rashid believes the key is separating the struggles of the ODI format from the upcoming T20 challenge. “We don’t look at it as a bad World Cup because it’s a different format,” he explained.
England’s T20 preparations are underway, with a four-match series against Pakistan scheduled for late May. Their title defense kicks off on June 4th against Scotland.
Rashid highlighted the importance of maintaining a free-flowing approach in T20 cricket. “If you have too much planning, you’re limiting yourself,” he said. “Play with freedom, and you can get to big scores.”
With Rashid’s confidence and a focus on adapting to the shorter format, England will be looking to become the first team to win consecutive T20 World Cup titles.
Recently, England toured the West Indies, playing three ODIs and three T20I matches. It’s evident that England lost the T20 series, but some batsmen stood out, such as Harry Brook, Will Jacks, and Phil Salt, showcasing good batting despite England struggling in death overs.
It was said that they need to improve in swing and seam bowling. In T20 cricket, where bowlers can deliver yorkers, cutters, bouncers, and variations, England’s bowlers still adhere to the old rule of swinging and seaming. While England’s batting has been good in white-ball cricket, their bowling struggles, which was evident even in the World Cup.
