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Reece Topley, a prominent member of the England cricket team, has opened up about the defending champions disappointing journey in the ICC Men’s Cricket ODI World Cup 2023.
England’s struggles in the ODI World Cup 2023
England’s campaign in the tournament have been disheartening, marked by their recent fifth loss, in first six games, to the host nation, India, with a significant 100-run defeat on Sunday October 29. England have only managed to secure one victory in the tournament, and their prospects of advancing to the semi-finals are growing increasingly dim. England are currently at the bottom of the points table. They are now at risk of missing out on a direct qualification spot in the Champions Trophy 2025 as well.
England’s one-sided losses in the CWC 2023
What has been particularly striking for cricket enthusiasts is not just the losses themselves but the resounding and one-sided manner in which England’s players have capitulated in these matches. Except for their victory against Bangladesh, all five of England’s losses have been heavy and conclusive. They suffered a nine-wicket defeat against New Zealand, a surprising 69-run loss to Afghanistan, a staggering 229-run thrashing by South Africa, and an eight-wicket loss to Sri Lanka.
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Reece Topley’s insights on England’s disappointing campaign
In an interview with the Daily Mail, Topley acknowledges that England’s performance has fallen far short of expectations. He expresses concerns about the manner in which these defeats have unfolded. However, he remains confident that the team selected by the national selectors is the best one available.
“The manner of the defeats are really worrying .We’ve gone down not in the way that we want to play. This team looks nothing like the outfit that the fans have loved. You win or you learn in sport and It doesn’t look like we’ve learnt with those big defeats,” Topley said.
“The messaging has been pretty clear but we’ve not gone out and done what we were asked to. It’s not a bad team at all. It’s the best 15 in the country but in a World Cup, you can’t have that many players out of form,” the 29-year-old concluded.
Topley himself suffered a finger injury during a World Cup fixture against South Africa at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, which ultimately led to his exclusion from the remainder of the tournament.