T20 World Cup: England captain Harry Brook on India semi-final, Jos Buttler, Will Jacks and calmness under pressure | Cricket News

Captain Harry Brook feels England coming through “niggly” games earlier in the T20 World Cup will stand them in good stead for their blockbuster semi-final against host nation India in Mumbai on Thursday.

Brook’s side stuttered to wins over Associate nations Nepal, Scotland and Italy in the first round around a meek defeat to fellow two-time champions West Indies.

They improved in the Super 8s while going undefeated, beating Sri Lanka, Pakistan – as the skipper struck a stunning 50-ball century – and then finally New Zealand having looked up against it needing 43 from the final 18 deliveries.

England’s MVP of the tournament Will Jacks – who has won four Player of the Match awards – and T20 World Cup debutant Rehan Ahmed slammed an unbroken, match-winning stand of 44 from 16 balls against the Black Caps after opening pair Jos Buttler and Phil Salt struggled again, scoring a duck and two respectively.

I always look at T20 cricket as thinking about the reward rather than the risk. It’s a case of backing yourself and thinking about what good can come of it rather than what bad can come of it. I will never tell anyone off for taking the aggressive option – I don’t think I have a leg to stand on there!

Brook told Sky Sports Cricket’s Ian Ward: “We are managing to scrape along in close games and that is the sign of a good side.

“I have learned you are never out of games. I know I have players with a lot of character, a willingness to win, wanting to win a lot, but also that calmness under pressure.”

‘If one of our batters comes off, the opposition are scratching their heads’

Buttler is averaging just 8.85 in the competition after five successive single-figure scores, while Salt’s only knock of note was 62 in the Super 8s encounter with Sri Lanka.

However, Brook feels his top-order duo can fire versus India, a side England are meeting for the third straight T20 World Cup semi-final, after hammering them in Adelaide in 2022 before being thrashed by them in Guyana in 2024.

The Yorkshireman added: “We are all really excited. I have already heard a few lads say they wanted to play India anyway. It is going to be a massive occasion with a hell of a lot of pressure for both sides.

“India obviously have a hell of a lot of support and I’m not sure there are going to be many people behind us. It’s going to be loud. Hopefully we can play our best cricket.

“I am excited for the lads up top. I feel they are one step closer to taking the game away from a side. I don’t think there is any weakness in the top order at all. The lads have just struggled a little bit and not got the runs they always get.

“I think Jos should be left alone. He is one of the best players to have ever played the game and I can see him coming good.

“It’s awesome other lads have been able to step up. There have been performances throughout. We have so many powerful players in the top seven that if one comes off, the opposition are scratching their heads and don’t really know where to go.”

Jacks crucial for England after ‘thanks-for-coming game’

Jacks has been instrumental for England, contributing 191 runs at No 7, including across the nerve-jangling wins over Nepal, Italy, Sri Lanka and New Zealand, as well as seven wickets with his off-spin.

Brook said of the Surrey all-rounder: “Jacks has been outstanding. To do that in his first proper World Cup playing every game is phenomenal.

“We chatted to him in Sri Lanka [during the pre-World Cup tour] when he had a thanks-for-coming game. He didn’t bowl, didn’t bat and got the ball once or twice in the field.

“We said to him it was a role that gives you a lot of reward when you do win games and that you are playing this role or it is hard for you to get in the side.

“He has embraced that position and done exceptionally well. The character he has shown has been awesome.”

‘I want to make it as uncomfortable as possible for the batter coming in at all times’

Brook’s ice-cool captaincy has also been a key component of England reaching their fifth straight T20 World Cup semi-final, so how has he tried to operate?

“We have had a lot of pressure games and the calmer you can stay as a captain helps in every facet of the game.

“You can see me holding on to the ball a bit longer. I want to have a conversation with the bowler, make sure they know what they are trying to bowl, make them think about one thing.

“For example, with wide yorkers, I am not that bothered about the line you bowl. I just want you to hit the yorker length.

“Unless the batter is scooping, no one is going to hit you for four or six. You can set funky fields but if you nail your length it’s usually one, dot or wicket.

“With us bowling a lot more spin now, we do try to get ahead of the over rate and slow the game down. It works better in certain situations than others but that is the beauty of playing spin. You can use the maximum amount of minutes you have got.

“I aways have options in my head. I tell the lads who is potentially going to be bowling the second over. Sometimes it changes, sometimes it doesn’t. After that it’s watch the game, see how it’s playing out and try to get the most effective bowler in a situation.

“I want to make it as uncomfortable as possible for the batter coming in at all times.”

Watch England vs India in the T20 World Cup semi-finals, at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, live on Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Main Event from 1pm on Thursday (1.30pm first ball).

England’s T20 World Cup results and fixtures

Round one

Super 8s

Semi-finals

• vs India (Mumbai) – Thursday March 5 (1.30pm)