T20 World Cup 2024: The team has been in decline for a while – Michael Vaughan on England’s woes

Former England skipper Michael Vaughan has shed light on English team’s white-ball woes. The Jos Buttler-led team are on the verge of elimination in the T20 World Cup after their 36-run loss against arch-rivals Australia.

England’s opening match against neighbours Scotland ended in no-result as rain played killjoy. In Group B, Scotland has won two out of their three matches with one no-result against England and thus are on top of the standings.

Australia have won both of their matches and ergo, England find themselves staring down the barrel. The Three Lions will need to win their remaining two matches against Namibia and Oman by huge margins and hope other results go their way, to qualify for the Super 8.

Meanwhile, England could only win three out of their nine matches in the ODI World Cup 2023 in India and finished at seventh place in the standings.

“We should not be surprised that England are in this mess. It has been far too cosy for too long in the white-ball set up. The team has been in decline for a while and is making the same mistakes all over again in selection and tactics. Looking from the outside, it seems to me the players are too powerful. It is all lovely and nice in the set up but I have never seen lovely and nice win World Cups,” Vaughan wrote in his column for the Telegraph.

Vaughan reckons England won the 2019 World Cup as Eoin Morgan led beautifully and they played fearlessly.

“In 2019 England won the World Cup playing fearless cricket but Eoin Morgan ran that team with an iron fist. Players knew where they stood and were wary of crossing him,” Vaughan added.

Vaughan believes this England team is clearly coming to an end as they have failed to evolve and need to go through transition after the T20I showpiece.

“Three years ago England were the best white-ball team in the world and everyone else was trying to copy them. But you can’t sit still in sport and England did that. Other teams copied them but brought more skill and discipline to their cricket. England have to be very careful. This team is clearly coming to the end and they will go through transition after this World Cup,” Vaughan wrote in the same piece.

England will take on Oman at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, North Sound, Antigua on Thursday.