England cricket team has jet off to Lucknow from Bengaluru, Karnataka today. Out of form defending champions will clash with hosts India (IND vs ENG) in Uttar Pradesh’s capital on Sunday. Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler-starrer side is almost out of the Cricket World Cup 2023 with losses to New Zealand, Afghanistan, South Africa and Sri Lanka.
As Jos Buttler’s team lost to Sri Lanka on Thursday for the fourth time in five games, England’s World Cup title defense has gone about as terribly as it could have.
In each of their first three losses, England’s bowlers were the weakest point; but the fourth loss to Sri Lanka happened because of their batting collapse.
No back-to-back titles in Cricket World Cup
England’s chances of winning back-to-back titles have been hampered by the injury that claimed the player of the year, Reece Topley, and the absence of Ben Stokes for the first three games of the season.
Their only success in India thus far came against Bangladesh, and their humiliating defeat to Sri Lanka in Bengaluru effectively ends England’s chances of defending their crown.
From here, Jos Buttler’s struggling team would need to win four games in a row and hope for some other results to go their way in order to get to the semi-finals.
India vs England (IND vs ENG) (October 29), Australia (November 4), the Netherlands (November 8), and Pakistan (November 11) are the remaining games for Three Lions.
IND vs ENG next
With four more games remaining, England is still mathematically eligible to make the semi-finals, at least for the time being.
However, captain Buttler acknowledged that their chances of winning the tournament are almost gone after their loss to Sri Lanka.
On Sunday, England will play India (IND vs ENG), followed by matches against Australia, the Netherlands, and Pakistan. Do they rip up the script and give the youngsters a chance to get some stage experience? Or will the veteran players have one final opportunity to prove their mettle? We will know in time.
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