T20 WC: England opt to field against unchanged Scotland in Kolkata

Posted on by Vividh Bharathi

Kolkata, Feb 14 (IANS) England won the toss and elected to bowl against Scotland in the Group C game of the T20 World Cup 2026 here at the Eden Gardens on Saturday.

Both the teams have named an unchanged playing eleven for the match.

England captain Harry Brook said, “We are going to have a bowl. We fancy chasing over here, as it’s a quick outfield and it’s also a pretty good wicket. I am not a curator, but it looks like a decent wicket. So, hopefully we can restrict them to as few as possible and then chase it down.

On announcing the playing XI early, Brook said, “We just want to give the team a bit more clarity. I want them to come prepared for the game, knowing the team a day before. I think we were a little bit too careful with the bat. We should have been a bit more aggressive. Hopefully we do that today.

Praising the Scottish side, he said, “They are a really good side. They have played here before and we will certainly not take them lightly.”

Scotland captain Richie Berrington said, ” We were probably going to have a bat first. But I think the toss here shouldn’t make too much difference. Looks pretty similar (to the last game), to be honest. It’s obviously been really good for us to get a feel of conditions here, playing the last couple of games. So I think, in general, it has been quite a good batting track. I think the key is probably going to be how we play spinning that middle period.

“Look, we’re obviously up against a very good team. I think they’re used to travelling and having to adapt to different conditions. But it’s going to be key for us too. It’s a new day, a new wicket. But yeah, it’s been a good experience for us to get used to conditions here and hopefully we can take some of the positives from the last couple of performances into today’s game.”

Playing XIs:

Scotland: Richard Berrington (c), Tom Bruce, Matthew Henry Cross (wk), Oliver Davidson, Michael Alexander Jones, Michael Alexander Leask, George Munsey, Mark Watt, Bradley Wheal, Brandon McMullen, Bradley James Currie

England: Philip Salt, Jos Buttler (wk), Jacob Bethell, Tom Banton, Harry Brook (c), Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Liam Dawson, Jamie Overton, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid

–IANS

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Jos Buttler excited to have ‘full line-up’ for India tour

Kolkata, Jan 21 (IANS) England captain Jos Buttler is excited with the prospect that they have a “full line-up” for the white-ball series against India. The wicketkeeper-batter emphasised that there is no workload or injury concern in the squad in the build-up to the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan and Dubai.

With Brendon McCullum taking charge of England’s all-format coach, the visiting side is pumped up to do well in the three-match T20I series starting at Eden Gardens on Wednesday.

“It’s a really exciting tour, coming to India with what I’d say is a full line-up for us. You know sometimes there’s so much cricket that certain players have to be rested or managed. But that’s certainly not the case for us at all in this series. So we’ve got a full complement of players, which is really exciting. Obviously, Baz is coming into the white-ball set-up for the first time too,” Buttler said on the eve of the T20I series opener.

“(I) also want to build that captain-coach alliance. Obviously, it’s not a new set-up because Baz has been around for a while and there are a lot of players in this squad that have been with him in the Test set-up for a number of years already.

“So, yeah, just looking forward to building that relationship in the white-ball set-up. It’s going to be a great series against a really top side in their own conditions. So, loads to look forward to,” he added.

Buttler also highlighted England’s formidable balance in their squad as they possess multiple batters who can bowl in the limited-overs format, providing vital depth in their batting order. “That gives a lot of depth to the XI and confidence to the guys at the top that there’s plenty (of batting) to come. So, we can be really aggressive and, you know, not worry too much about our wicket, because we’ve got guys behind us who can do exactly the same job,” the wicket-keeper said.

“We’re really blessed actually in terms of the bowlers that we have here, on this tour. They’re all very, very capable bats. I think if you look at guys like Gus Atkinson with a Test hundred, and then Brydon Carse is an excellent hitter of the ball, and then Adil Rashid down at No. 11 (No. 10 on the team sheet for the first T20I) who’s got multiple first-class hundreds. So, yeah, I think we’re very fortunate in that sense that a lot of our bowlers are very, very capable batters,” Buttler added.

England have named their playing XI for the first T20I on Tuesday which includes Jacob Bethell along with Phil Salt, Buttler, Ben Duckett, Harry Brook, and Liam Livingstone as batting fire-power while Jofra Archer, Mark Wood, Gus Atkinson, and Jamie Overton will lead the pace attack. Adil Rashid is the sole full-time spinner in the playing 11.

Buttler heaped praise on Bethel, who has averaged 57.66 and scored at 167.96 in his six T20I innings.

“It’s a new challenge for him to come and play in India. But I know he’s excited (for it). I think he’s been someone who in English cricket has been talked about for a while knowing the talent he possesses, even when he’s been playing in the Under-19s. So, he was a name you’d hear being talked about that he’s gonna be a special player. And I think, you know, all credit to him. I think he’s done brilliantly well coming into international cricket,” Butter said.

“And he has got a good head on his shoulders, and obviously, he’s got the game for it, as you’ve seen in the white-ball stuff. And then obviously, moving into Test cricket, you know, it’s fantastic to watch him in New Zealand. So, yeah, he’s been playing really well,” he added.

–IANS

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Rohit and Kohli have won trophies, know how to play big tournaments, says Morne Morkel

Ranchi, Nov 28 (IANS) India’s bowling coach Morne Morkel has backed the possibility of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli featuring in the 2027 ODI World Cup, saying that the veteran duo’s experience of winning trophies and handling the pressures in major tournaments will be important.

Though India lost the ODI series to Australia in October, Rohit was named Player of the Series after scoring a half-century in Adelaide and a century in Sydney. Kohli, meanwhile, picked successive ducks before regaining form with an unbeaten 74 in Sydney. The duo will be seen in action when India plays South Africa at the JSCA International Stadium in Ranchi on Sunday.

“For sure, they’re quality players — as long as they’re happy to put the hard work in and the fitness. I’ve always believed in experience, and to have that experience, you don’t find it anywhere. They’ve won trophies, they know how to play big tournaments.”

“So for sure, if they mentally and physically feel that their bodies can do that, it’s still a long way away — the World Cup, by all means. I’ve played many games against them. I’ve had sleepless nights, bowling to them. So I know, as a bowler, what goes through your preparation when playing against them. So for me, definitely on board with that,” said Morkel in the pre-series press conference.

He also felt a change in format would help India, who are coming on the back of a 2-0 Test series defeat to the Proteas. “Obviously, it was a disappointing two weeks for us, but we had a couple of days now to reflect, and I think the important thing now is to give all our energy into the white ball team.”

“We’ve been playing a lot of good white ball cricket. It’s a couple of new faces in, not new faces, but fresh energy into the squad now with Virat and Rohit and them coming back. So, excited for the next two and a couple of weeks now with playing white ball cricket,” he added.

Against South Africa, India will be without newly-appointed skipper Shubman Gill due to a neck injury, while vice-captain Shreyas Iyer is still on the road to recovery from a spleen injury, which needed hospitalisation in Sydney. Morkel revealed the duo are progressing well from their respective injuries.

“I think the best is for the medical staff to give that. I spoke to Shubman two days ago just to check in with him, and he is recovering well. So that is pleasing to hear. Shreyas has also started his rehab, which is great.”

“So, we are looking forward to welcoming them back into the squad. The good thing is that they are healthy, and they are starting their preparation on their way back into the team,” added Morkel.

–IANS

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IPL 2025: Very tough to replace Starc, will try to play with available players, says DC’s Nigam

New Delhi, May 17 (IANS) Ahead of Delhi Capitals (DC) meeting with top-ranked Gujarat Titans (GT) at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Sunday, leg-spin bowling all-rounder Vipraj Nigam admitted that it would be a very tough ask for the side to replace Mitchell Starc, but expressed confidence in them managing to play with the rest of available players.

DC are at fifth place in the points table with 13 points and their chances of entering the playoffs look a bit more stiff, considering Starc is not coming back to India. Mustafizur Rahman, DC’s newest signing, will come to New Delhi only on Sunday, after playing in Bangladesh’s first T20I against the UAE in Sharjah on Saturday.

“It is very tough to replace a bowler like Mitchell Starc. But we have come back together and we have made a few changes to the team. Basically, we will try to start what we did at the start of the season. We don’t want to feel the effects of the players who are not there. As a team, we will try to play with the available players,” said Nigam in the pre-match press conference.

Asked on DC’s mindset ahead of starting their run of remaining league matches, Nigam said, “It’s nothing like that. It is our home ground. Unfortunately, we have lost 2-3 matches, but it is a fresh start. It was a two-three day break. We are looking at it as a fresh start. Everything is thinking back to how we started our campaign from the first game, and we will try to continue that.”

DC had to be evacuated from Dharamshala, after their game against Punjab Kings was called off early due to air strikes and drones causing blackout in nearby locations. Nigam expressed gratitude to all concerned authorities for bringing the team back to New Delhi and then to their respective homes.

“Everyone knows what the situation was and why it was. But there were some Indian Army people in our team. Many people came to help us to take us home. The situation was normal in the beginning. But after that, they made arrangements for us very easily.”

“The Indian Government and the Indian Army did everything for us. It is better not to call it an experience. But whatever it was, it happened in the past. But I am thankful to the Indian Government and the Indian Army, that they brought us home safely.”

Nigam has been one of the finds for DC in IPL 2025 – picking nine wickets while making 122 runs. He came into limelight due to picking 20 wickets for Lucknow Falcons in the UPT20 league, and followed it by smashing 27 off just eight balls to take Uttar Pradesh over the line against Andhra in the 2024/25 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.

He talked about the importance of state T20 leagues and performing well in the domestic season across all formats. “I think it is very important – this T20 league and even the state league. What I am seeing in the IPL, we have experienced this in the state league as well.”

“Basically, it is not exactly like that, but it is the same process – T20 games and pressure around. State league is very important. I have been playing in the state league for the past two seasons. I had a very good experience of it. It was very useful for me, and has played a very important role.”

“The domestic season is always important for an Indian player, as there are all three formats and you have to prepare for all of them. If the T20 format starts the season, it is a good experience for you that you are playing T20.”

“But it is not like that in BCCI domestic games – you have to play red ball and then white ball. There are always challenges – you have to switch and change your game for red ball. But it is fun to play like this for the whole season.”

Nigam also talked about growing in the team and having his UP team-mate Kuldeep Yadav around in the DC set-up. “The good thing is that we are from the same state and I have played good matches with him. The experience has been very good. Even the experience of IPL is new. It is my first year and he has been playing for a long time.”

“My experience has been really good here, and it is what the juniors or any other player needs. So, it is going very well and it doesn’t feel that anyone is playing a senior role in the team. They see me as a player and a brother. It is a very good thing for me.”

Nigam signed off by saying him coming ahead of Ashutosh Sharma in one of the matches was down to team strategy. “There’s nothing like that. But according to the situation of every game, the batting order or the changes in the team happens according to the situation. There was only one game where I came before Ashutosh Sharma. But there is nothing like that. It depends on the situation.”

–IANS

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