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England’s white-ball captain, Jos Buttler, expressed disappointment following his team’s defeat to India in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 semi-final. Buttler revealed his intention to take a cricket break to spend time with his family after their elimination from the tournament.
The defending champions were convincingly beaten by Rohit Sharma’s team in the semi-final clash held in Guyana on Thursday, June 27. Under Buttler’s leadership, England suffered a significant 68-run loss while chasing a target of 172 runs. The English batsmen struggled against the formidable spin duo of Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel during the match.
Addressing the media after the match, Jos Buttler acknowledged that England’s bowlers allowed 20-25 runs more than what was considered a par score on the difficult pitch. He expressed disappointment with the outcome and admitted that they missed an opportunity to utilize Moeen Ali more effectively during the game.
“A little bit of both. I thought they played well as well. I thought we bowled a little bit without luck in the power play, a few close calls there. But, yes, I think the benefit of hindsight and reflecting, I would have got Moeen [Ali] in the game of course. So, yes, bits and pieces here and there. Yeah, disappointing. I think we were outplayed by India. They fully deserved the victory. So, yeah, I thought they had an above-par score. I was hoping to restrict them to 145 – 150 probably on that pitch. It was always going to be a tough chase from there.”
Rohit Sharma, leading from the front, scored 57 runs from 39 deliveries, supported by Suryakumar Yadav’s 47 off 36 balls, as India, known as the Men in Blue, posted a competitive total of 171/7 on a sluggish pitch. England’s Chris Jordan was the most successful bowler, claiming three wickets for 37 runs in his three overs.
In reply, India’s left-arm spinner Axar Patel made an early breakthrough by dismissing Jos Buttler in the third over. Kuldeep Yadav (3/19) and Axar Patel (3/23) then combined brilliantly to pick up three wickets each, restricting England to just 103 all out. This victory held particular significance for India as it marked redemption for their defeat in the T20 World Cup 2022 semi-final in Adelaide.
Jos Buttler – Looking Forward To Some Time Away From The Game
Jos Buttler expressed his intention to take a hiatus from cricket ahead of England’s upcoming series against Australia in September. He emphasized the importance of stepping away from the game, citing the emotional toll of the recent defeat.
