England’s white-ball captain, Jos Buttler, has voiced his disappointment following the team’s early elimination from the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Their campaign ended in heartbreak after an eight-run defeat to Afghanistan in Lahore on Wednesday. This marks the third consecutive ICC tournament where England, under Buttler’s leadership, has failed to progress past the early stages, following their struggles in the 2023 ODI World Cup in India and the 2024 T20 World Cup in the USA.
Jos Buttler on missed opportunities and praise for Joe Root
Reflecting on the defeat, Buttler acknowledged England’s failure to capitalize on crucial moments. He lauded Joe Root’s brilliant century, which kept the team in the hunt while chasing Afghanistan’s 326. The total was powered by a stunning 177-run knock from Ibrahim Zadran. Despite Root’s efforts and a late surge from Jamie Overton, England fell short, getting bowled out for 317 with just one ball remaining.
“Disappointing to be knocked out of the tournament early. We had our chances in the game and we didn’t take them. Root played an unbelievable innings, and we needed one of the top six batters to stay with him. The last 10 overs got away from us a bit. Credit to Ibrahim, he played a fantastic innings. 113 off the last 10 pushed them up to a very good score on that pitch,” Buttler said in the post-match presentation.
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Buttler opens up on personal form
Buttler also addressed his own struggles with form, admitting that his performances have not met expectations. He praised Root for his consistency and ability to handle pressure in crucial moments.
“He (Root) has been a brilliant player in all formats and showed us the way to handle the pressure. His ODI record is fantastic. If I knew I wouldn’t be playing the way I am (referring to his bad form), being one of the best players in the world, it is disappointing when you don’t perform. Don’t want to make any emotional decisions,” he added.