We still have the team to conquer the World
BUTTLER BACKS NEW SIDE
JOS BUTTLER is confident England can overcome the loss of two “superstars of the game” to win theT20World Cup.
Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer played huge parts in England’s thrilling 50-over World Cup final triumph in 2019.
Stokes is continuing his indefinite break to prioritise his mental health, while Archer is out for the rest of the year with a stress fracture in his right elbow.
But England’s vice-captain knows others, such as Liam Livingstone and Tymal Mills, are ready to step up.
Buttler, below, said: “Any side in the world is going to miss those guys, they’re superstars of the game, but I’m really excited with the squad we have.
“You look at the opportunities Liam was presented with this summer and the way he’s taken his game from those T20 series and The Hundred. That confidence he’ll go into the World Cup with is fantastic.
“I enjoyed watching
The Hundred and seeing Tymal operate again. We’ve seen him a bit before in an England shirt and it’s a fantastic story for him to be back at aWorld Cup.
“That left-arm angle and extreme pace [will be great] and he’s got a pretty good slower ball as well. He’s a great guy to have in your squad that can pose a lot of problems and has been performing brilliantly well.”
Stokes shared a 110-run partnership with Buttler in the 2019 ODI final, while Archer was trusted with the super over that won the game.
When asked if there would be extra pressure on the squad to perform without the duo, Buttler, speaking at an event at Sixes Cricket Club, said: “Not at all. I want to perform for the team and I think there are a number of guys that are exactly the same.
“You talk about guys haven’t got that experience yet but there are a lot of people they can call upon and discuss that with.
“It’s a little bit different in this day and age with the advent of the franchise tournaments, so guys will have been in high-pressure situations in the IPL, the Hundred, the Big Bash. In an international tournament, they’ll have those experiences to call upon.”
Buttler is also comfortable with the expectation on England.
He said: “We’re certainly one of the favourites, we’re a brilliant team.
“I know we’re going to be missing Ben and Jofra, but there’s some real match winners in our side.
“There are other fantastic teams – India and West Indies in particular who are always really strong. But we’re a really good team and we’ll focus a lot on ourselves and playing good cricket to the best of our ability. If we do that, we can go a long way.” ●Booking.com is the official accommodation booking partner of the ICC T20 World Cup, which takes place from October 17-November 14.