My lad’s been giving me stick over the awful dropped catch!
THERE IS only one place to start. I’m glad we won against New Zealand but it could have all gone wrong after my drop. I still cannot explain what happened. I did not even get a hand on it!
When the game was done, my son Abu Bakr was on the balcony and I could see him doing signs with his hands and saying, ‘What happened with the catch, Dad?’ I was trying to tell him I lost it in the lights but I didn’t really.
I’m his hero. he expects me to catch everything, hit sixes every ball and get everyone out so I had to make an excuse. It’s funny because he has been telling everyone how bad his dad’s drop was.
The next morning I saw Adil rashid’s kid. he came racing up to me and said: ‘You dropped such an easy catch to my dad.’
I had to find an excuse because he was ripping into me. So it was actually the kids giving me more stick than the lads. I’ve been pulling the lights excuse but the young ’uns aren’t having any of it!
We had a few jokes in the dressing room which was fine because we had won and everyone could have a laugh. No one means to drop catches but everyone does at one stage or another. It is part of the game and unfortunately for me, it happened at a World Cup. But I was fine. The main thing is to get over it instantly. You cannot let it get to you as the game goes on.
It was a big win for us. Every game is massive now and to beat a side like New Zealand, who are so unpredictable, was a real plus. We adapted with constant batting changes like myself coming in at three and Liam Livingstone coming in at four. That added to our unpredictability and helped us get a good score. It was a fantastic team effort.
Jos Buttler batted brilliantly and when he is in the zone, there is no stopping him. he led superbly and you could tell just how pumped up he was from the way he batted.
he decided at the interval that I would start with the new ball and rash, Sam Curran and myself all bowled in the power play, which is not something we usually do. That flexibility and how we are all ready to take on different roles shows the confidence we all have with our own abilities. Curran’s been superb since
he got a good run in the side. he is one of those guys that wants things to happen and to be in the action. he has been brilliant all tournament.
Now it is Sri Lanka in Sydney. They are a tough side who always punch above their weight. This is the one format and one tournament where you cannot take anyone lightly. They are dangerous with the ball and they bat deep too so we are going to have to be on our game. We simply cannot afford to lose.
I know Maheesh Theekshana well from my time at the IPL. he is one to watch out for with the mystery of his deliveries. he spins the ball well
and can bowl anywhere. he opened the bowling against New Zealand and got Finn Allen in the first over.
Wanindu hasaranga is looking deadly again. he took three wickets when we played them in the Super 12s in Sharjah last year.
And it isn’t just Sri Lanka we are facing. It is our old coach Chris Silverwood, who knows a lot about us. he has done a great job winning the Asia Cup, especially with the strength of India and Pakistan. I’m delighted for him and it will be good to see him.
This is what it is all about and it is in our hands. Every game feels huge now. It has got that real World Cup feeling and hopefully this time next week, we can be looking forward to a World Cup final,