T20 World Cup: Bethell Leads England's Charge in Super 8s
England looks to bounce back from uneven group stage in T20 World Cup, starting with Sri Lanka clash. England's Jacob Bethell confident in team's potential as they face Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and New Zealand in T20 World Cup Super 8s.
England's Super 8 Challenge, Can They Turn It Around..?
England's Jacob Bethell is optimistic about his team's chances in the T20 World Cup Super 8s, despite a shaky group stage. He believes there's still “fire” burning within the team, and they're ready to turn a corner. England had been one of the pre-tournament favorites, but they stumbled through their group matches, losing to West Indies and having close calls against Nepal, Scotland, and Italy.
Bethell, England's top run-scorer in the group stage with 143 runs, is confident that the team's batting lineup will bounce back. He points to their recent 3-0 series win over Sri Lanka as a sign of their potential. England faces co-hosts Sri Lanka in their Super 8 opener on Sunday, and Bethell is looking forward to the challenge.
England's 2022 champions, the West Indies, handed them a comfortable loss, exposing areas for improvement. They also struggled against Nepal, Scotland, and Italy, winning but not convincingly.
“I think there's definitely a little fire in all of us to kind of really go out there and push the players to the top of their performances,” Bethell told reporters, hinting at a more intense approach moving forward.
Brook's side have returned to their happy hunting ground in Kandy after playing all their group matches in India, at Mumbai and Kolkata.
On Sunday, England will kick off their Super 8s campaign against co-hosts Sri Lanka at the venue where they swept a T20 series 3-0 this month.
“We're coming back to conditions that were foreign a few weeks ago, we then got to know him over three games here,” said the left-handed Bethell, who bats a number three.
“We beat them 3-0, so I think we're definitely coming back to this part of the world with a lot of confidence.”
Bethell's got Sri Lanka's Pathum Nissanka on his radar. The opener's century against Australia was a standout moment, and Bethell knows he'll be a threat on Sunday.
“I thought Nissanka played unbelievably,” said Bethell.
“You know, he actually got off to a few flyers against us. But that really showed what he could do.”
Bethell's keeping it real – England needs to move on from their shaky group stage and focus on the Super 8s.
“I think everyone had the same mindset of, all right, the main thing is just to get through to Super Eights,” said Bethell.
It's a fresh start – a new mini-tournament begins. England faces Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and New Zealand, with only two spots up for grabs in the semis. High stakes.
“So now we're here, then this is where the proper competition starts,” said Bethell.
Look at that strike rate! 🏏 💥
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) February 20, 2026
Will Jacks making a BIG impact at this @T20WorldCup 💪 pic.twitter.com/oT9Mvn272d
Bethell's been England's standout performer, top-scoring with 143 runs at 35.75. Meanwhile, Phil Salt, Jos Buttler, and captain Brook are feeling the pressure to step up.
Bethell's vibes are positive – he reckons England's big-hitting batters, like Salt, Buttler, and Brook, are due for a turnaround.
“I think everyone just has that underlying feeling that we're going to turn that corner,” he said.
“We're winning games of cricket, and we're not firing.
“So imagine when we do.”
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