England almost got eliminated from this T20 World Cup.
When Australia required 89 runs from seven overs against Scotland in St Lucia on Sunday, England were close to being eliminated unless their Ashes rivals won. The situation looked bleak.
But any illusions that Australia would be planning to overpower England were put to rest by a raft of boundaries and a crucial drop catch from Scotland's Chris Sole ensured the 2021 champions won and the 2022 champions a place in the Super 8.
There is now a sense that there is a real chance that England and Australia could meet in the knockout stages. From a somewhat soggy and at times sloppy start to their defense of the trophy, Jos Buttler's side look like title contenders once again.
The clinical victory over West Indies proved this.
England defeated West Indies 180-4. Thanks largely to Adil Rashid and Jofra Archer giving away just six runs combined in the 16th and 17th overs, Phil Salt blasted 30 runs in the 16th over of the chase, hitting both Romario Shepherd's deliveries. For 4-6 people.
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Salt hit six boundaries in a stunning 30-run over as England began their T20 World Cup Super 8s campaign with a win.
Adding to Salt's strike and Jonny Bairstow's 48 off 26 balls, England were home with two overs to spare, a net run rate of 100 and a strike that suggested they could become the first team to win the competition twice. All faith has been raised. line.
Nothing can be taken for granted in T20s, but with a Super 8 match against a South African side that has been over the line in almost every game so far despite being 5-5 and the United States coming up, England will be confident of qualifying. semifinal.
Then maybe Australia (the expected favorites to advance from the other Super 8s pool along with India) would really want to ditch them…
England are early leaders in T20 World Cup Super 8s Group 2.
The story of the 16th over
The 16th over of West Indies and England's respective innings could not have been more contrasting. They were definitely where games were won and lost.
West Indies managed just four runs and lost set batsman Nicholas Pooran (who could have done all sorts of damage in the closing stages). Pooran cut his bat off the last ball as he approached Buttler.
England's Jofra Archer bowled a crucial 16 overs, conceding just four punts and dismissing Nicholas Pooran.
The excellence of Archer and Rashid – the latter scoring just two runs from 17 overs – meant the hosts were restricted to just 43 runs in the final five innings and England did not need the final 2.5 overs. Victory at Gros Islet.
Salt (87 not out off 47 balls) drove six boundaries (three fours and three sixes) on the trot, lofted and pulled the ramp to take the requirement to 40 from a manageable but not easy 30 balls. The 16th over proved crucial once again as it was reduced. Routine 24 off 10. Game over.
Salt, who is currently averaging 68.28 against the West Indies in T20 internationals after smoking back-to-back hundreds against the West Indies in the pre-Christmas series in the Caribbean, later said:
“I decided in my mind, but I didn’t yell at Jonny (Bairstow) because I didn’t want him to say no (I thought I could handle it). I had to take that chance when I first smelled it.”
Salt smashed three sixes and four fours in 16 overs in England's successful chase.
The opener said: “It’s a good feeling to come here and play something like that against a very strong team who are riding the wave on their own terms with the home crowd.
“It was a very stop-start tournament for us. There were hiccups against Australia and plenty of twists and turns against Scotland. But in a tournament you need confidence and momentum at the right time. The hosts have given us the first step in that direction. “It gave me a lot of momentum.”
Bairstow stars again after taking questions.
Bairstow gave new impetus to England's innings after a slight pause following the 67-run opening stand between Salt and Buttler.
West Indies would have felt it again in the game when the requirement for England was 70 off the final 42 balls. However, Bairstow opened the 14th over with Alzarri Joseph's six over midwicket and lamp over wicketkeeper Pooran for four.
Back-to-back three boundaries from Akeal Hosein in the next over put England firmly back on track, and they watched at the other end as Salt smoked Shepherd all over the park.
Bairstow's final act was to pull Joseph to midwicket for a match-cleaning single to take his stand with Salt on an unbroken 97 from 44 balls with 15 balls to spare.
Jonny Bairstow added impetus to England's chase.
Bairstow's ranking, and even his playing XI, were in doubt after he scraped seven from 13 balls in the first-round loss to Australia.
But he kept his position. Will Jacks gave way to Sam Curran and has since repaid that faith with 31 off 18 balls against Namibia and now his key cameo against the West Indies.
This reaction is not surprising, as Bairstow has made a career of getting fired when he feels he is being questioned. There was no doubt within his dressing room as Buttler said of his team-mate: “He’s a class player and he’s been around for a really long time, you keep supporting class players.
“He didn't have many chances but it was a really impressive innings today. It was an innings from a mature senior player with a lot of power. He scored some great runs when the game was in the balance.”
Rashid 'England's most important player'
Salt and Bairstow will headline while Archer is an economical, wicket-taking 16th-place finisher.
But Buttler was quick to insist that leg-spinner Rashid remains a key player for England. “We keep saying it over and over again, he is our most important player. He has been around for a really long time. He has so many variants and threats. He takes wickets but also limits runs.”
England leg-spinner Adil Rashid took figures of 1-21 from four overs in St Lucia.
Rashid did not take a wicket against West Indies. Andre Russell was his only victim in the 17th over for two runs. However, his economy rate was 5.25 and he bowled 10 dot balls out of 24, reaching only one boundary.
As so often in the past, England were grateful for his form and with Rashid among many of the players in good form, their once slumping title defense was renewed. Back to the big time.
Watch every match of the T20 World Cup live on Sky Sports, including the final in Barbados on Saturday 29 June.
What are your future plans?
uk Remain in St Lucia to play South Africa on Friday (3.30pm UK & Ireland); west indies They travel to Barbados to face the United States on Saturday (1:30 a.m.).
