England Eye Champions Trophy Qualification with Win over Netherlands
After a disappointing World Cup campaign, England captain Jos Buttler has expressed the team’s determination to secure a spot in the 2025 Champions Trophy with a top-eight finish. The team’s recent 160-run victory over the Netherlands in Pune marked a significant step towards achieving this goal.
This victory lifted England off the bottom of the standings and into seventh place, placing them ahead of Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and the Netherlands on net run rate. England’s final match against fifth-placed Pakistan in Kolkata holds great importance, as the winner will secure a place in the Champions Trophy.
The win against Netherlands wasn’t an easy one after England were under-pressure in the first innings at 188/6. However, the rescue man Ben Stokes took matters in his own hands and delivered his first century at World Cup to give England second win of the tournament.
READ MORE
Why England is Losing it All at Cricket World Cup 2023?
Buttler acknowledged the team’s recent struggles, stating, “We haven’t performed the way we wanted to this whole trip and we’d like to leave India putting in a proper performance.”
Despite the frustrations, Buttler praised the team’s commitment and desire to “put things right.” He highlighted the team’s intense training as a testament to their determination to improve.
Pakistan Beat England by 14 Runs at 2019 Cricket World Cup
Recognizing the significance of the upcoming match against Pakistan, Buttler emphasized, “Not playing for what we wanted to be playing for, but a really vital match for us in the grand scheme of things.”
He expressed excitement about the opportunity to play for something meaningful, adding, “It’s great to be heading there with something on the line.”
Likes of Jonny Bairstow, Moeen Ali and Joe Root have struggled consistently. In such a scenario England needed a player who could stand up and deliver. None better than Ben Stokes to take the central and he did with so much grace and strength for England.
Jos Buttler’s own form might be a worrying sign for England as the English captain is averaging on 12 in the tournament with bat. He has lost his wicket on many lose balls which speaks how badly he needs a resurrection.
With a renewed sense of purpose and determination of Jos Buttler, England is poised to face Pakistan in a crucial match that will determine their Champions Trophy fate. Their
