MUMBAI: Around 10 years ago, it was here at the Wankhede Stadium where England and West Indies started their T20 World Cup campaign with the latter going on to win the title, defeating the same rivals in the final. The two will cross the path once again at the same venue albeit in their second match of 2026 T20 World Cup campaign.
West Indies defeated Scotland in their opener at the Eden Gardens while England survived a scare against Nepal to secure two points at the iconic venue in Mumbai a day later.
With the two teams squaring off against each other, one can't help but look back at the contest they had almost a decade ago at the facility. England posted a competitive 182/6 with Joe Root top-scoring with a 36-ball 48 for them. Chris Gayle, however, made the contest one-sided with his unbeaten 100 off just 48 balls that included five fours and 11 sixes.
Jos Buttler was part of the England outfit then and he is now an experienced member of the team 10 years down the line. A day before the match, Buttler spoke about the match and hoped the result would be different this time around. "Yeah, I do remember. I had a good view for that. I actually think Moeen (Ali) bowled an unbelievable spell of bowling at him and then he decided to hit the last three balls he faced off Mo for three sixes so — Chris Gayle is the best T20 batter there's ever been so yeah ten years ago obviously hopefully the result can be different tomorrow night," Buttler said while addressing a press conference on Tuesday.
Nepal gave England a run for their money a couple of days ago and Buttler opined such close games are a learning curve for them. "We've been playing some good T20 cricket for a little while now. We had a good series in Sri Lanka before this and going back in the previous 12 months, we've learned plenty as a side, playing different games in different conditions, different styles of T20 cricket. Tournament cricket is a bit different. Obviously the consequences are different. So learning how to manage those emotions and how to - the cricket is the same, but obviously the consequences and the pressures of that are then different. So if you can hold your nerve and manage to still execute skills, knowing that the consequences are different, that's probably a good learning for the group that we can do that."
Experienced English bowlers like Jofra Archer (1/42 in his four overs) and Adil Rashid (42 runs in three overs without a wicket) were plundered for runs as Nepal batters were in pursuit of that upset victory. Buttler said that's how a T20 game is played out and any bowlers, irrespective of their reputation, can go for runs.
"I think we're all accepting of how T20 cricket works. You're chasing 180, you know the batters are going to come after you and be aggressive and I thought, credit to the Nepal guys, I thought they played really, really well. They ran between the wickets well, they found the boundary when they needed to. And experienced players, I think you're talking about Jofra and Adil in that case, have seen it all before and they're not immune to people playing well against them. That's allowed. We try our best and want to perform really well, but every other country and every other player that we play against is wanting to do the same. So that's T20 cricket. And, you know, you start again tomorrow, 0 for 0, and it's a new game."
Speaking particularly on Adil, who is England's main weapon given the nature of wickets in the sub-continent, the former England skipper said, "I don't think he'll be too bothered he's a great bowler — he's been a great bowler for a long time, but great bowlers can - the opposition need to find a way to deal with those bowlers and they attacked him and played him really well, but he's been brilliant for a long time and it's part of team play, right? If the guys, the other bowlers picked up where Liam Dawson and Adil were really key, crucial pair and Liam bowled fantastically well, Sam Curran bowled fantastically well when needed. So it's a group effort, it's a team thing and Adil is someone that we know we always expect a lot of. But it's cricket and T20 cricket especially. You're going to have days like that."
England are placed in Group C that also comprises West Indies, Nepal, Scotland and Italy. A win against West Indies on Wednesday will all but guarantee a place in Super Eights for Harry Brook and Co. As Buttler hoped, England will eye a change of fortune against the West Indies at the Wankhede Stadium in their quest for a record three T20 World Cup titles.