
England, the defending champions in the ongoing Men’s ODI World Cup, find themselves in a precarious position, with veteran all-rounder Moeen Ali emphasizing the importance of must-win games. The team is aware that they need to boost their confidence and deliver strong performances in the upcoming matches.
England is set to face 1996 champions Sri Lanka in their next match at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. They enter this crucial fixture after suffering defeats to Afghanistan and South Africa, holding a record of one win and three losses in the tournament.
To make matters more challenging, they are without their lanky left-arm pacer, Reece Topley, who was their leading wicket-taker in the tournament. Topley sustained a finger injury during a heavy 229-run loss to South Africa in Mumbai, and Brydon Carse has been called in as his replacement.
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Moeen expressed the team’s disappointment, saying, “We’re obviously disappointed not just with the results but also with the way we’ve played. In this competition, you have to quickly move on and regroup. Every game is a must-win for us, and we understand that we’ve been in such situations before, although not to this extent.”
He continued, “We have to regain our confidence, perform well, and excel in batting, bowling, and fielding, better than we have in this tournament so far. We have no other option but to perform at our best in every game from now on to remain in the World Cup.”
Moeen, who has not played a game in the World Cup since England’s opening match against New Zealand, expressed his frustration and noted that his current role is to prepare himself to be ready to contribute to the team whenever he gets the opportunity.
He said, “It’s quite frustrating because you want to be out there playing and making a difference. It’s tough when you’re not winning, and when you’re not playing, it’s even harder. But I’m preparing and training diligently, and that’s all I can do at the moment. So, my responsibility is to be ready and make an impact when the time comes.”
Regarding the possibility that this tournament might mark the end of England careers for some players, Moeen responded, “There are still many players who can have long careers. Some of us are a bit older and may not be part of the next World Cup, but there are many players who have been around for years and will continue. It’s not necessarily the end of anything.”
He added, “This could potentially be the start of something new. We’re still in the competition, and it’s undoubtedly a tough challenge. We need to win every game, but we believe we can do it. It’s more about rebuilding confidence as a team and playing the way we know we can. As for what the future holds, we’re not dwelling on that right now.”
-IANS