World Twenty20 - Jos Buttler backing Adil Rashid to help keep England at T20 party

Jos Buttler knows all too well what it feels like to leave a party early and is desperate to avoid another premature exit at the World Twenty20.
Yorkshire and England's Adil Rashid.Yorkshire and England's Adil Rashid.
Yorkshire and England's Adil Rashid.

Buttler was on duty in Bangladesh two years ago when England failed to reach the competition’s knockout phase and again when they were humiliated at the group stage of the 2015 World Cup.

He faces the prospect of an unwanted hat-trick after England lost their opening fixture in India amid a torrent of sixes from West Indies match-winner Chris Gayle.

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Realistically, England must beat South Africa on the same ground today if they are to progress from the Super 10s and the possible consequences of that match are not lost on the vice-captain.

“Ten months ago at the World Cup was some of the worst feelings I’ve ever had on a cricket field,” said Buttler. “Whether you’ve played in world tournaments or not, we’ve all had bad experiences in cricket. You learn from them, you move on from them.

“You still come back, dust yourself down and go again. We’ll be really focused on that.”

At the mid-point of the match against the West Indies, England’s score of 182-6 looked competitive, a solid base built around Joe Root’s 48 augmented by some powerful shots down the order.

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In retrospect it was not explosive enough on a batsman’s surface at the Wankhede Stadium.

Gayle pointed the way on that front.

South Africa have superstars of their own lying in wait, not least AB de Villiers, and Buttler believes England must rise to that standard. “That’s what you get when you turn up at world tournaments, all the best players in the world in one place,” he said.

“We’ve got to have guys who stand up and compete with them.

“We need to produce these players in our side as well if we’re going to go further and win these tournaments.”

Nobody emerged unscathed from Gayle’s blade in midweek, the most damaging blows being delivered to Yorkshire leg-spinner Adil Rashid, who came into the tournament with a big billing but who was withdrawn from the attack after two overs.

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“Adil’s been a great performer for us, and he’s been a match-winner,” said Buttler. “But playing against someone of Gayle’s class, he was going to target him in conditions that probably weren’t in Adil’s favour on a small ground.

“It’s going to be tough but he’ll dust himself down and come back well.”

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