England head coach Brendon McCullum has expressed confidence in his team’s ability to bounce back from their disappointing start to the ODI World Cup. Despite suffering two defeats in their first three matches, McCullum believes that there is still plenty of time for the reigning champions to qualify for the semifinals.
“They will get there,” McCullum told The Mirror. “It is still early days and this tournament is a slow burn, so there is plenty of time and matches for them to catch up.”
McCullum pointed out that there have been other upsets in the tournament so far, such as South Africa’s defeat to the Netherlands. He also reminded everyone that England are the holders of both the 50-over and T20 World Cups, and that they have the quality to win again.
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“Of course, the boys would have liked to be 3 and 0, but sport doesn’t work like that and sometimes you have to cope with challenges and then show how good you are,” McCullum said. “One thing is for sure, there are good reasons why England have won two ODI World Cup recently.
“It is the quality of the players and the manner with which they play the game that makes them a world class side. They just need to stay true to their method and their style which has brought them so much success and not get shaken by the odd bad day at the office.”
England will next play South Africa on Saturday at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. A win in this match will be essential for England’s hopes of qualifying for the semifinals.
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