KOLKATA: For England, Monday’s match against Italy at Eden Gardens here should be easy, even though they have not been at their best in the ongoing T20 World Cup. However, the English side is taking nothing for granted. Since the spot in the Super Eight is not yet completely secured, they are not going to take their opponents lightly either. And that means no experiments.
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“If we had won against the West Indies then we might have had the option, but I think we have to pick the best team possible and make sure we get to the Super Eight,” England captain Harry Brook said after the win over Scotland on Saturday. That game didn’t go the way Brook wanted and he is aware that there has to be improvements in the future.
Even a below-average England might be enough for Italy, but they will surely have to do better in the Super Eight. So far the only team of any quality they have faced has been the West Indies and England failed that test.
The run chase has been a bit worrying for England with openers Phil Salt and Jos Buttler not bringing them to the shuttlers as would have been expected. “The run chases haven’t been as easy as we would have liked,” admitted Brook, as he hoped the game against Italy would allow them to turn the corner.
Italy know they have to work harder to surprise England and regular captain Wayne Madsen, who unfortunately had to miss out due to injury, said his team is mentally prepared to do so. “To compete with the bigger teams, we have to throw punches,” he said after scoring on Sunday. “We can’t just take hits so we have to be aggressive in the way we play our cricket.
“We’re not here just to come and make up numbers,” Madsen warned. “We are here to perform and win games. Tomorrow we will do everything in our power to achieve this.”