Jos Buttler’s England cricket team faced a crushing defeat against the Indian national cricket team in the first T20I of five matches series at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Wednesday, January 22.
England, led by Jos Buttler, lost the game against Suryakumar Yadav’s side by 7 wickets to lose the series 0-1, with the next match scheduled in Chennai on January 25.
England face a crushing defeat in the Kolkata T20I
The Three Lions lost the toss and were called upon to bat first in the match. They got off to a bad start as they lost both their openers quickly. Things only got worse for the visitors as the game progressed as they lost wickets at regular intervals.
Only captain Jos Buttler played a good knock as he hit 68 runs off 44 balls, with 8 fours and 2 sixes. In the end, the visiting team was bowled out for 132 runs.
With the ball in the second innings, the English bowlers were taken clean by the Indian openers. The bowlers tried their best but failed to do much damage as India completed the run in 12.5 overs.
Jofra Archer is a superstar – Jos Buttler
Speaking at the post-match presentation ceremony, England captain Jos Buttler said the surface was beneficial for the bowlers in the first innings and they lost quick wickets.
Jos Buttler went on to say that Jofra Archer is a superstar, and expressed his excitement to see Archer working alongside Mark Wood. He added that working with Brendon McCullum was a good experience for him.
“It was a bit in the wicket early on and we lost a few wickets. He (Jofra Archer) always looks good, he’s a superstar. To see him and Wood working in tandem is exciting,” Jos Buttler said.
“From place to place, you have to judge the conditions quickly and play well. I’m really enjoying the environment. I’ve always been a fan of Brendon McCullum, he’s great to work with,” Jos Buttler added.
How did England fare in their previous T20I match against India?
England’s performance in the semi-final match against India in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 was disappointing, as they lost the match by a huge margin of 68 runs. Chasing a target of 172, England’s batting line-up struggled against the Indian bowlers, managing just 103 runs in 16.4 overs, before they got the rally.
England’s chase got off to a rough start as they lost early wickets. Captain Jos Buttler (23 off 15 balls) and Phil Salt (5 off 8 balls) were dismissed cheaply, followed by a flurry of quick wickets. Jonny Bairstow (0), Moeen Ali (8) and Sam Curran (2) all fell before England could build any momentum. Harry Brook was the top scorer with 25 runs, but he too could not provide the necessary acceleration.
The turnaround came with an incredible spell of bowling from India, led by Axar Patelwho took 3 crucial wickets for just 23 runs. Kuldeep Yadav also contributed significantly with 3/19, as well Jasprit Bumrah‘s 2/12 added more pressure on the English batsmen. England’s batsmen struggled mightily on the Guyana pitch and kept losing wickets at regular intervals.
In the end, Jofra Archer (21 off 15 balls) tried his best by hitting some boundaries but it wasn’t enough to win. India’s bowlers kept the intensity high and England’s batting crumbled under pressure, losing the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 semi-final.
