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After England lost to Sri Lanka by eight wickets in
Bengaluru, their performance at the World Cup has been “a huge
disappointment” and “a shock to everyone” in their team,
according to Jos Buttler. With four group games left, England faces
elimination.
Buttler led England to victory in the T20 World Cup in
Australia last year, and he entered India with a quiet sense of confidence that
his team might repeat their 2019 victory in the 50-over World Cup at home.
Buttler stated that they would need “a few miracles” to go to the
semi-finals after they had lost four of their first five games, all by
substantial margins.
“It’s not a lack of talent,” Buttler said.
“[We have] a lot of experienced guys who are fantastic cricketers. So
absolutely, it’s a huge frustration. This tournament’s gone nowhere near the
way we wanted to; it’s been a huge disappointment. If there was one golden egg
that we were missing, then you’d hope to see that. But there is no secret, I
don’t think.
“We’re a really good team [who have] done a lot
of really good things in the recent past in white-ball cricket, 50-over
cricket. We got on the plane with high hopes and a lot of confidence and belief
that we can challenge for the title. To be sat here now with the three weeks
that have been is a shock – it’s a shock to everyone.
“I’ll walk back in the dressing room after this
[press conference] and look at the players sat there, and think: ‘How have we
found ourselves in this position with the talent and the skill that’s in the
room?’ But it is the position we’re in; it’s the reality of what’s happened
over the last three weeks and that’s a huge low point.”