Tag: England

England cricket supremo Rob Key said on Thursday “it would be stupid” to rule Test captain Ben Stokes out of consideration for the role of skipper of the struggling white-ball team.

Jos Buttler stood down last week following a poor display by the side at the ongoing 50-over ICC Champions Trophy 2025 tournament in Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where his team lost all three of their group games.

England have now suffered 10 defeats in 11 white-ball fixtures this year.

Vice-captain Harry Brook had appeared to be the heir apparent to Buttler, but he is likely to be a mainstay in all three international formats, meaning a formidable workload.

England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) managing director for men’s cricket Rob Key is considering his options for the role of white-ball captain, which include expanding Stokes’s remit.

The 33-year-old Durham all-rounder has proved himself an inspirational captain since succeeding Joe Root as Test skipper. But his age and injury problems mean he has largely operated as a Test specialist for 16 months.

Appointing Ben Stokes as limited-overs captain would mean extending his “Bazball” alliance with Brendon McCullum, now the coach of England’s white-ball teams as well as being in charge of the Test side.

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“I think nothing’s off the table really,” Key told reporters at Lord’s. “Ben Stokes is one of the best captains I’ve ever seen. It would be stupid not to look at him. It’s just the knock-on effect of what that means.”

Stokes, currently sidelined with a hamstring injury, has not played a Twenty20 international since the T20 World Cup final in November 2022 and has not featured in a one-day international since the 2023 50-over World Cup in India.

Former England batsman Key acknowledged that England’s limited-overs form had declined sharply and their batting had “fallen off a cliff”.

England won the ODI World Cup under the captaincy of Eoin Morgan in 2019 and triumphed at the T20 World Cup under Buttler three years later. But they have slumped to seventh in the ODI rankings and are third in the T20I rankings.

“We were very poor in the Champions Trophy,” said Key. “But the truth is, we haven’t been particularly good in white-ball cricket, probably since the last era when (retired captain) Eoin Morgan did it.”

England have been criticised for pursuing an ultra-aggressive approach under McCullum, regardless of the match situation, but Key said the former New Zealand captain’s coaching methods were more nuanced.

“It’s not true that the only thing he (McCullum) says is go harder, go harder, go harder,” said Key. “He speaks all the time about soaking up pressure as well.”

READ: Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub among Pakistan players to enter The Hundred 2025 Draft

Legendary batter Sunil Gavaskar has hit back at Nasser Hussain and Michael Atherton after the former England captains raised concerns over India playing all their ICC Champions Trophy 2025 matches in Dubai.

With India refusing to travel to Pakistan due to political tensions, the ICC scheduled all their group-stage games in Dubai, a move that sparked debate over fairness. However, Gavaskar dismissed England’s complaints, calling them excuses for their own failures.

Speaking to Sports Today, the Indian legend criticized the constant whining from former English cricketers, urging them to reflect on their own team’s early exit from the tournament rather than fixating on India.

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“I think these are all wise and experienced people. Why don’t you actually look at why your team has not qualified? That’s what I was going to ask you, sir,” Sunil Gavaskar stated.

“Rather than constantly focusing on India, are you even looking at your own backyard? Your players are in such a fragile mental state, they don’t seem to care about results as long as they meet certain expectations.”

England’s semi-final hopes were dashed after losses to Australia and Afghanistan, prompting Hussain and Atherton to question whether India had an unfair advantage. But Gavaskar was quick to shut down the narrative.

“All the time, they are moaning, ‘India has got this, India has got that.’ It’s constant. We must just ignore it. Let them keep moaning. We have better things to focus on. That is the kind of attitude you must have,” he further stated.

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Sunil Gavaskar also highlighted India’s massive influence in world cricket, both in terms of on-field dominance and financial contributions through media rights and sponsorships.

“They just cannot seem to understand where India stands in international cricket in terms of quality, income, talent, and, more importantly, in terms of generating revenue,” he said.

“India’s contribution to global cricket through television rights and media revenue plays a massive role. They need to understand that their salaries also come from what India brings to the world of cricket.”

READ: Champions Trophy: England registers unwanted ODI record after defeat to South Africa

KARACHI: England cricket team registered an unwanted ODI record after their crushing defeat against South Africa in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 here at the National Bank Stadium on Saturday.

England came in the eight-team tournament after losing the series 3-0 to India, but they failed to turn their fortunes around and ended the competition without securing any wins.

Consequently, the former World Cup champions have now recorded their longest losing streak in One Day Internationals (ODIs), totaling seven consecutive losses.

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This run began with an eight-wicket defeat against the West Indies last November. Previously, England’s longest losing streak in men’s ODIs was 11 matches, which occurred between 2000 and 2001.

England began their tournament campaign against their arch-rivals Australia on 22 February, posting a record total of 351 runs for the loss of 8 wickets while batting first.

However, a sublime century from wicketkeeper batter Josh Inglis, along with half-centuries from Alex Carey and Matthew Short, enabled Australia to successfully chase down the total, losing just five wickets and finishing with 15 balls to spare.

Due to a rainout in the crucial Group B match between former champions Australia and South Africa, England needed to win both of their remaining matches to qualify for the semi-finals.

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Unfortunately, Afghanistan thwarted their chances with a narrow eight-run victory, driven by Ibrahim Zadran’s impressive knock of 177 runs and Azmatullah Omarzai’s five-wicket haul.

England’s struggles continued in their final group match, where they scored a meager 179 runs. In reply, South Africa easily chased down the total, losing three wickets and finishing with 125 balls to spare.

READ: Rumman Raees cites 2017 Champions Trophy triumph to counter Aqib Javed’s claim

KARACHI: South Africa secured a semi-final spot with a convincing seven-wicket victory over England in the 11th match of the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 at the National Bank Stadium on Saturday.

The Proteas successfully chased a modest target of 180 runs, losing three wickets in 29.3 overs. This victory also allowed South Africa to top Group B, which included Afghanistan, Australia, and England.

South Africa’s new opening pair, Tristan Stubbs and Ryan Rickelton, fell inside the power play with a score of 47 courtesy of Jofra Archer bowling.

Stubbs, who was playing his first match in the eight-team tournament, was castled on a duck while Rickelton fell on the score of 27 after hitting five fours.

After early inroads from England, Heinrich Klaasen joined Rassie van der Dussen and forged a 127-run stand. Klaasen departed when his team needed just six runs. His  64 off 56 deliveries featured 11 fours.

On the other hand, Van der Dussen remained firm and carried his team to a comfortable win with an unbeaten 72 off 87 deliveries. His well-crafted innings included half a dozen fours and three sixes.

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For England, Archer was the only silver lining, who bagged two wickets, while Adil Rashid picked up one wicket.

Marco Jansen, was awarded Player of the Match for his brilliant bowling and fielding.

The Proteas only needed to ensure they didn’t lose the current match by 207 runs to move forward in the eight-team tournament.

A strong bowling display kept Afghanistan from overtaking them in net run rate. As a result, South Africa and Australia secured the two qualifying spots for the Final Four from Group B.

Earlier, a combined bowling effort helped South Africa bundle England to a meagre 179 in the 11th match of the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 here at National Bank Stadium on Saturday.

England captain Jos Buttler, in his last match as captain, opted to bat first, however, the decision backfired as Phil Salt (8) fell prey to Marco Jansen in the first over.

Jansen displayed his brilliance with the new ball, removing Jamie Smith (0) and Ben Duckett (24) soon afterward to leave England reeling at 37-3.

Joe Root and Harry Brook (19) then joined hands to construct a 62-run stand for the fourth wicket before Keshav Maharaj broke the partnership.

Root, who top-scored with 37 from 44 balls, fell in the next over, leaving his team in a struggling position with the scoreboard reading 103-5.

South Africa bowlers did not allow England to make a comeback as they took two more wickets in quick succession before Buttler and Jofra Archer forged a crucial 42-run stand for the eighth wicket.

Archer scored a gutsy 25 off 31 with the help of four boundaries, while Buttler managed a scratchy 21 off 43 without any boundary.

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However, both batters fell in successive overs before Wiaan Mulder dismissed Adil Rashid (2) to wrap England’s innings at 179.

Mulder and Jansen took three wickets each for South Africa, while Maharaj bagged two. Lungi Ngidi and Kagiso Rabada managed one wicket each.

Playing XIs

England: Phil Salt, Ben Duckett, Jamie Smith (wk), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler (c), Liam Livingstone, Jamie Overton, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Saqib Mahmood

South Africa: Aiden Markram (c), Ryan Rickelton, Rassie van der Dussen, Tristan Stubbs, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), David Miller, Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi

READ: Former cricketer slams decision to ‘rest’ senior players after Champions Trophy debacle

KARACHI: England have won the toss and opted to bat first against South Africa in the 11th match of the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 here at National Bank Stadium on Saturday.

Playing XIs

England: Phil Salt, Ben Duckett, Jamie Smith (wk), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler (c), Liam Livingstone, Jamie Overton, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Saqib Mahmood

South Africa: Aiden Markram (c), Ryan Rickelton, Rassie van der Dussen, Tristan Stubbs, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), David Miller, Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi

Catch every Champions Trophy update here!

The 2025 edition marks the return of the ICC Champions Trophy after an eight-year break, with the last tournament being held in 2017, where Pakistan defeated their arch-rivals India in the final.

The eight-team tournament will feature 15 matches over 19 days, taking place in Pakistan and Dubai.

The teams are divided into two groups for the initial stage. Each team will play three group-stage matches, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the semi-finals.

Group A consists of Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and New Zealand, while Group B includes Afghanistan, England, Australia, and South Africa.

READ: Nasser Hussain names Jos Buttler’s replacement as England’s captaincy

Former England captain and renowned commentator Nasser Hussain has thrown his support behind Harry Brook to replace Jos Buttler as the country’s new white-ball captain after the disastrous ICC Champions Trophy 2025 campaign.

Buttler, who led England to ICC T20 World Cup glory in 2022, has now endured three disappointing major tournaments as captain.

Following England’s early exit from the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025, the 34-year-old officially stepped down as captain, leaving England in search of a new leader.

Nasser Hussain, in his column for the Daily Mail, backed Brook as the best available option, citing England’s limited captaincy choices due to the lack of domestic 50-over cricket.

Catch every Champions Trophy update here!

“Harry Brook would be my choice as England’s next limited-overs captain now it’s clearly time to move on from Jos Buttler,” he wrote.

“If you’re having to think about being England captain, as Buttler said he would be after Champions Trophy elimination earlier this week, you probably know you’re done.”

However, while advocating for Brook, Hussain also pointed out the challenges of appointing him, especially with England’s packed Test calendar, which includes a home series against India and the Ashes.

“There would be issues with appointing Brook. In such an important year, do you really want to pass on all the burdens of leading a struggling side to a young man and make his life more difficult? England are trying to play a lot of their Test players in white-ball cricket, but do they want their captain to be part of that as well?” he questioned.

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Harry Brook has been Buttler’s deputy since January but has struggled to balance his role, managing just one half-century in his last 10 white-ball games.

Despite this, Nasser Hussain recalled Brook’s previous leadership experiences and praised his ability to handle dual responsibilities.

“I enjoyed watching him captain last year, whether it be in the Hundred or against Australia, when he scored a hundred in one of the games – which suggested he was quite happy balancing the two roles,” he added.

“But you’ve still got to be careful. You don’t want to weigh down a very talented young player with it all.”

READ: Former Pakistan captain calls for complete overhaul after Champions Trophy exit

England skipper Jos Buttler has resigned as white-ball captain after the team’s group-stage exit in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

England ended their dismal campaign in eight- team tournament with defeats against Australia and Afghanistan.

Buttler announced his decision in a press conference on the eve of the team’s last group game, against South Africa.

He stated that resigning from captaincy was the right choice for both himself and the team.

“I’m going to stand down as England captain, it’s the right decision for me and the right decision for the team. Hopefully,somebody else who can come in alongside Baz [Brendon McCullum] will take the team to where it needs to be.” he stated.

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The 34-year-old batter who took over the captaincy from Eoin Morgan in 2022, further mentioned that he intends to continue playing for England and wants to wants to focus enjoying my cricket.

“I want to get back to really enjoying my cricket. The overriding emotions are still sadness and disappointment,” he remarked.

“I’m sure, in time, that will pass and I can get back to really enjoying my cricket, and [will] also be able to reflect on what an immense honour it is to captain your country and all the special things that come with it,” Buttler said.

Under Buttler’s captaincy, England won the T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia. However, team has struggled since then.

Now, after three unsuccessful ICC events—the 2023 50-over World Cup, the 2024 T20 World Cup, and the 2025 Champions Trophy—Buttler has decided to step down.

Catch every Champions Trophy update here!

The explosive batter has led England in 44 ODIs, managing only 18 wins and suffering 25 losses.

On the contrary, he has a better record in the T20Is. Buttler has captained England in 51 T20 matches, winning 26 and losing 22. The World Cup triumph remains the most significant achievement of his captaincy tenure.

Earlier, following the defeat against Afghanistan, Buttler hinted about his future as captain in a post-match press conference, stating that he would “consider all possibilities.”

READ: Champions Trophy: Sediqullah’s 85, Omarzai’s 67 lift Afghanistan to 273 against Australia

LAHORE: Afghanistan have won the toss and opted to bat first against England in the eighth match of the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 here at Gaddafi Stadium on Wednesday.

Playing XIs

England: Phil Salt, Ben Duckett, Jamie Smith (wk), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler (c), Liam Livingstone, Jamie Overton, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood

Afghanistan: Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi

Catch every Champions Trophy update here!

The 2025 edition marks the return of the ICC Champions Trophy after an eight-year break, with the last tournament being held in 2017, where Pakistan defeated their arch-rivals India in the final.

The eight-team tournament will feature 15 matches over 19 days, taking place in Pakistan and Dubai.

The teams are divided into two groups for the initial stage. Each team will play three group-stage matches, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the semi-finals.

Group A consists of Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and New Zealand, while Group B includes Afghanistan, England, Australia, and South Africa.

READ: Kiwi match-winner Ravindra relishes return after freak accident

LAHORE: England suffered a major blow as bowling all-rounder Brydon Carse has been ruled out for the remainder of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 after nursing an injury to his left toe.

Carse sustained the injury during England’s opening game against Australia on Saturday in Lahore.

The 29-year-old also missed the last two ODIs against India due to injury, but he played in the game against Australia.

Catch every Champions Trophy update here!

Brydon Carse struggled in the opening game after giving away 69 runs in his seven overs in a high-scoring encounter against the arch-rivals.

The young spinner Rehan Ahmed has been called up as his replacement. He will join the squad in Pakistan later this week.

Rehan, who has been instrumental in England’s recent success in Test matches, has played 6 One Day Internationals and has 10 wickets to his name.

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The 20-year-old leg spinner last played for the England team in an ODI in December 2023 against the West Indies.

For those unaware, England needs to win both of their remaining group-stage matches to qualify for the Champions Trophy 2025 semi-finals.

They will now face Afghanistan on 26 February at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

The team suffered a five-wicket defeat at the hands of arch-rivals Australia after posting a mammoth total in their campaign opener on Saturday.

England Update Squad for Champions Trophy 2025

Jos Buttler (c), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Tom Banton, Harry Brook, Ben Duckett, Jamie Overton, Jamie Smith, Liam Livingstone, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Saqib Mahmood, Phil Salt, Mark Wood, Rehand Ahmed

READ: Ravindra’s ton powers New Zealand past Bangladesh as Pakistan crash out

Playing XIs

Australia: Travis Head, Matthew Short, Steve Smith (c), Marnus Labuschagne, Josh Inglis (wk), Alex Carey, Glenn Maxwell, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Spencer Johnson

England: Ben Duckett, Phil Salt, Jamie Smith (wk), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler (c), Liam Livingstone, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood

Catch every Champions Trophy update here!

The 2025 edition marks the return of the ICC Champions Trophy after an eight-year break, with the last tournament being held in 2017, where Pakistan defeated their arch-rivals India in the final.

The eight-team tournament will feature 15 matches over 19 days, taking place in Pakistan and Dubai.

The teams are divided into two groups for the initial stage. Each team will play three group-stage matches, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the semi-finals.

Group A consists of Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and New Zealand, while Group B includes Afghanistan, England, Australia, and South Africa.

READ: Shane Watson names THIS player to shine at Champions Trophy