Moeen Ali has acknowledged that there has been a lack of energy in England’s disappointing start to the World Cup, and has stated that their goal for the remaining five games is to either be a great team or at least an enjoyable one.

Moeen expressed that there is no sense in continuing to play the way we have been and then feeling regretful when we go home. Instead of changing our style, let’s stick to how we have played in the past. I have always had faith, and still do, that if we stick to our strengths and play our best, we can beat most teams. Now, we will have to beat all teams, but let’s make our exit memorable and entertaining. This is crucial because we have not been entertaining at all.

The England team has been defeated by New Zealand, Afghanistan, and South Africa, but has only managed to beat Bangladesh. They will be playing against a depleted Sri Lanka team on Thursday, who have also only won once. After this match, they will have less than 72 hours to travel 1,800km north to Lucknow and get ready to face India on Sunday. Moeen, who has not played in the last three games, believes he has figured out some of the issues that have been causing the team’s struggles.

“He stated that spending time outside can often reveal things that may not be apparent when playing. The perspective from the outside may show that a certain spark or enjoyment is missing when we are bowling or batting. Despite the challenges we may face, cricket is ultimately a game and perhaps we are placing too much importance on it.”

Having a carefree mentality is similar to playing a game of cricket. It doesn’t matter if you make mistakes because that’s part of the game. Instead of worrying about mistakes, embrace them and focus on your strengths. Plus, mistakes are inevitable, so might as well have a positive attitude while making them.

Fortunately, England will not have to endure the muggy heatwave they faced on Saturday in pleasant Bengaluru. During his time playing for Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League, Moeen spent two seasons in the city and is familiar with the conditions at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. “I am well acquainted with it, it’s a fantastic venue for playing cricket,” he commented. “If I do end up playing, I may give up some runs due to the small size and flat pitch, but it’s also a great place for batting. It’s one of those grounds where scoring is easy and having a strong batting lineup can make a big impact.”

In Mumbai, England made a significant change to their usual strategy by not including all-rounders in their team. This decision was made in order to have a strong batting lineup and more options for bowling. However, this decision proved to be costly as they were heavily punished by South Africa. As a result, it is likely that they will return to their previous strategy. One change that has been forced upon them is that Reece Topley had to leave the team due to a finger injury. His replacement, Brydon Carse, arrived on Wednesday morning but it is unlikely that he will play immediately. Moeen is expected to make a comeback, while Chris Woakes might also be given an opportunity to prove himself after his previous poor performance.

“We attempted a different approach due to our recent poor performance,” Moeen stated. “Unfortunately, it was unsuccessful and I wouldn’t be surprised if we revert back to our usual methods that we have been using for years. It was just one of those things that didn’t pan out on that particular day.”

If England were to win, they would tie with Pakistan and Afghanistan at four points, trailing behind Australia by two points for the final semi-final spot. Considering their upcoming matches, they are aware that winning all of them in a spectacular fashion would secure their spot in the semi-finals, unless Afghanistan goes on an incredible winning streak. In summary, there is a definite path for England, but it will require flawless performance. However, losing to Sri Lanka would not necessarily eliminate them from the competition, but it would require not only a major comeback, but also some miraculous occurrences.

Moeen’s solution is straightforward: “Improve batting, bowling, and fielding. That is the only effective course of action.”

Source: theguardian.com