LONDON: Eoin Morgan, the England captain, said that his team has learned from its mistakes in the ICC Champions Trophy 2017, as they prepare to go into a home World Cup, looking to lift the trophy for the first time.
As is the case with the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019, England were one of the favourites to lift the Champions Trophy title in 2017 – the last time they hosted an ICC event. However, they suffered a semi-final exit, after getting beaten by Pakistan on a slow pitch in Cardiff. Morgan, however, suggested that England had come out of the experience a better side.
“After that 2017 semi-final, the chat in the dressing room was a combination of two things,” he said in an exclusive chat with the Daily Mail. “‘Were we beaten by the better side and were we playing on a wicket that suited us?’ Since then, we’ve played on similar wickets — at Sydney and Wellington — and in both, we played better the second time around.”As long as we go out to play the way we play. Our style has evolved over the last number of years, from extremely aggressive to positive, aggressive, smart cricket. I’m very excited.”
Morgan is now preparing to lead what is arguably the strongest side in the World Cup this year, and perhaps the strongest side England has ever fielded in the flagship tournament. England have been identified as the team to beat at the World Cup and will be carrying a huge baggage, with expectations abound for them to lift their first 50-over global trophy.
Since their exit at the group stage of the 2015 edition, Morgan has led England through a transitional phase that has seen them become No.1 on the MRF Tyres ICC Men’s ODI Team Rankings. It is a period that has been marked by England winning 53 out of the 82 ODIs they have played. “We’ve talked about being favourites a lot since the Champions Trophy,’ he said. (Agencies)
