Outgoing England Captain Hopes to Rediscover Form After Stepping Down as Skipper
Karachi [Pakistan], March 2: England’s ICC Champions Trophy 2025 campaign came to a disastrous end on Saturday as they suffered a seven-wicket loss to South Africa, finishing the tournament without a single win.
Outgoing white-ball captain Jos Buttler admitted that a series of poor performances under his leadership had dented the team’s confidence and expressed hope that he would perform better as a batter without the burden of captaincy.
“It was really a disappointing performance. We were short of our mark today,” Buttler said after the match.
England’s final league stage match against South Africa summed up everything wrong with their campaign—fragile batting, inconsistent bowling, and lack of execution.
England’s Struggles and Buttler’s Reflection on Captaincy
Buttler, who recently stepped down as England’s white-ball captain, acknowledged that the team had lost confidence due to their string of poor results.
“As a whole group, we are not getting the results, and that takes away the confidence from us. It is a change of scene, and we have to see where cricket takes us,” Buttler stated.
Despite the setbacks, the 2022 T20 World Cup triumph remains a defining moment of his captaincy.
“It was a fantastic time to be a World Cup-winning captain, and that was my best day in my captaincy tenure,” he added.
Buttler also took inspiration from Joe Root, who returned to form after relinquishing the Test captaincy, saying:
“Joe has been a shining light and a great example for us. After stepping down as captain, he has played brilliantly, and hopefully, I can follow in his footsteps.”
Match Summary: England’s Batting Collapse and South Africa’s Commanding Chase
England Innings:
- England won the toss and opted to bat first, but their innings fell apart early as Marco Jansen (3/39) struck during the powerplay, reducing them to 37/3.
- Joe Root (37 off 44, 4 fours, 1 six) and Harry Brook (19 off 29, 3 fours) put up a 62-run stand for the fourth wicket, but England failed to capitalize.
- Wiaan Mulder (3/25) and Keshav Maharaj (2/35) ran through the middle and lower order, bundling England out for 179 in 38.2 overs.
South Africa Innings:
- Chasing 180, South Africa lost two quick wickets, slipping to 47/2.
- However, Rassie van der Dussen (72 off 87, 6 fours, 3 sixes) and Heinrich Klaasen (64 off 56, 11 fours) ensured a comfortable chase, taking the Proteas to 181/3 in 29.1 overs.
- Marco Jansen was named ‘Player of the Match’ for his match-winning spell.
England’s Disappointing Tournament and the Road Ahead
With three straight losses, England’s Champions Trophy campaign ended in humiliation, exposing their batting frailties and lack of adaptability. As Buttler steps down, England’s management will now look for new leadership and strategies to revive their white-ball dominance.
“There is no doubt the talent is there. We have all the elements to put together a great side, and I am sure Brendon (McCullum) and the guys at the top will formulate some plans,” Buttler concluded.
With England out of the tournament, the focus now shifts to the semi-finals, where South Africa has emerged as a strong title contender.
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England Cricket, Jos Buttler, ICC Champions Trophy 2025, South Africa vs England, Cricket Captaincy, England Batting Collapse, Marco Jansen, Rassie van der Dussen, Heinrich Klaasen, Cricket News
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