No team have successfully defended the Twenty20 World Cup title and England do not have to go far back in the record books to understand the magnitude of the task facing them in the tournament in West Indies and the United States.Seven months ago, Jos Buttler’s side set about retaining the 50-over world crown they secured on home soil and endured a miserable tournament in India, winning three out of nine group games to finish seventh in the standings."That pride was obviously dented and it was a really disappointing competition,” Buttler said."But life moves on, it’s a chapter in the book and there’s lessons you learn but we’re presented with a new opportunity, a different format.”Buttler, 33, made two centuries for Rajasthan Royals in this year’s Indian Premier League, but England’s recent T20 record is poor.Since beating Pakistan in the 2022 final, they have lost series in Bangladesh and West Indies before drawing 2-2 at home with New Zealand to slip to third in the world rankings behind India and Australia.Drawn in Group B with Australia, Namibia, Oman and Scotland, England should easily reach the Super Eight stage of the tournament but they then need to rediscover the dominant form that brought them the 2022 trophy.Ben Stokes, who guided them to victory over Pakistan in the final two years ago, is not in the squad and Buttler, Jonny Bairstow, Phil Salt, Ben Duckett and Harry Brook will be tasked with providing top-order fireworks and consistency.The return of Jofra Archer after major injury problems is a huge boost for England but Mark Wood and Reece Topley, the other genuine fast bowlers in the squad, are also prone to fitness issues.That could place a heavy burden on seamers Sam Curran and Chris Jordan, and England will rely heavily on experienced spinners Adil Rashid and Moeen Ali to contain the scoring rate during the middle overs of the innings.Curran has struggled over the past year, taking only seven wickets in his last eight T20 internationals, and Buttler will need the feisty all-rounder to show the form that earned him the player of the tournament award in 2022.Curran last week produced a match-winning performance for Punjab Kings in the IPL, completing bowling figures of 2-24 before making 63 not out, and the 25-year-old will be a key player if England are to lift the T20 World Cup trophy for the third time.
May 30, 2024 | 11:48 PM