India thrashing ‘counts for nothing’ in T20 World Cup final — Buttler

MELBOURNE: Skipper Jos Buttler says the emphatic way England crushed India to reach today’s Twenty20 World Cup final ‘doesn’t count for anything’ as they bid to become champions in both white-ball formats.

India were humbled by 10 wickets in the semi-finals with Buttler’s composed 80 and Alex Hales’s blistering 86 setting up a blockbuster showdown with Babar Azam’s Pakistan.

The England opener said Saturday there was ‘a huge amount of excitement’ for the final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, although it could be affected by rain. A reserve day has been set aside tomorrow, but the forecast is equally gloomy.

England continue to have injury worries over Dawid Malan and fast bowler Mark Wood, who both missed Thursday’s semi-final. Buttler said they were ‘both improving’.

“Obviously there’s not many days since the semi-final, but we are giving them every chance,” he added.

Phil Salt and Chris Jordan are again the likely replacements should they not recover. Despite the weather and injury concerns, Buttler was in buoyant mood in his pre-match press conference.

“Any time you get a chance to play in a World Cup final is a huge honour. We’re really excited as a group, there’s a nice feel around the team,” he said.

“The previous performance (against India) gives us a lot of confidence, but it doesn’t count for anything. Tomorrow we start a fresh game against a really tough opposition and any time you are fighting for a trophy you know it isn’t going to come easy. So we will focus on them a little bit and on us a lot and what we need to do to prepare well today to turn up tomorrow and do the best we can.” — AFP