“You wanted to say return to form there, didn’t you?” Jos Buttler said with a smile as a scribe asked him about how he felt after scoring 73 against New Zealand in a T20 World Cup Super 12 match at the Gabba.
The England captain paused and then added, “It’s tough to please you guys sometimes...”
A shock defeat against Ireland, followed by a washout against Australia, had raised serious concerns over England’s qualification.
In Tuesday’s must-win game, Buttler stepped up when it mattered the most. “Got a bit lucky, and I felt really good in the middle... enjoyed it,” he said.
“You just want to be in the middle and have some semblance of control. Felt in a really good place in the middle today.”
Buttler also admitted that it was indeed a satisfying moment to play a role in the team’s victory. “To come through that game as captain and score some runs for the team and then a couple of times you make a decision and it sort of comes off straight away... that’s always nice when it happens,” Buttler said.
On a pitch that seemed to aid the spinners initially, England introduced Moeen Ali in the first over. The move paid off as the New Zealand openers David Conway and Finn Allen struggled. “I’ve asked the guys to be sort of ready and bowl at different times and fulfil different roles in different games, and I think everyone has really grown to that,” Buttler said.
“So, I feel like I have many options I can throw the ball to. I’ve got to trust my instinct as to who I feel is best for that particular time.”
England will play Sri Lanka on Saturday and by the time it takes the field in Sydney, the team will be knowing what it needs to do to stay in the hunt for semifinals because by then, Australia and Afghanistan’s game will be over. “There is a little bit of benefit playing that last game to know exactly what is required of us. We’re going to expect a really tough match against Sri Lanka. It is a really good team. Every game is tough in this tournament,” Buttler said.
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