England captain Jos Buttler expressed special admiration for Adil Rashid after their commanding 8-wicket victory over co-hosts West Indies in the Super 8 stage of the ongoing T20 World Cup. Despite standout performances from Philip Salt and Jonny Bairstow, who led England’s successful chase with unbeaten knocks, Jos Buttler singled out Rashid for his crucial contribution with the ball.
Rashid’s four-over spell was marked by exceptional control, conceding only 21 runs at an impressive economy rate of 5.20, significantly lower than the other bowlers, most of whom had economies exceeding eight. His disciplined bowling included the critical wicket of the formidable Andre Russell, curtailing the West Indies’ scoring momentum.
“He has been all the time. He is our most important player. Has so many variations and restricts runs,” Jos Buttler remarked during the post-match presentation, highlighting Rashid’s pivotal role in England’s bowling strategy.
The West Indies initially seemed poised for a massive total, looking likely to surpass 200 runs. However, England’s bowlers executed their plans effectively in the latter half of the innings, restricting the hosts to 180/4. This commendable effort laid a solid foundation for the chase.
“Bairstow-Salt partnership was very good. Jonny took the game deep and Salty broke it with that one over. Jonny batted at No. 4 today, a class player for a really long time. You keep backing class players. Incredible, mature, senior player’s innings. People say you learn when you lose, but you learn when you win as well. Important to put this to bed and focus now,” Jos Buttler noted.
England’s innings began with some jitters as they lost Jos Buttler and Moeen Ali early. However, Jonny Bairstow and Philip Salt stabilized the chase, displaying calm composure and innovative shot-making. Salt, after reaching his fifty, accelerated dramatically, amassing 30 runs in a single over from Romario Shepherd, effectively sealing the game for England. Their unbeaten 97-run partnership took England to victory and dampened the West Indies’ hopes.
Reflecting on the match, Jos Buttler praised the team’s overall performance: “That was a really good performance. We were practising well and executed well today. [Chasing 180] We bowled well to restrict a powerful batting lineup. We were smart with the bat, the guys were calculative.”
With this win, England moves closer to securing a semi-final spot and will aim to confirm their place with a victory against South Africa on Friday at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground.
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