In a stunning turn of events at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium, England faced a devastating 229-run loss against South Africa, leaving captain Jos Buttler to concede that the champions “have no room for error from here on in” in the ongoing World Cup.
Opting to field first, Buttler watched as South Africa piled up a formidable total of 399-7. Heinrich Klaasen’s remarkable century defied the sweltering conditions, adding to England’s woes.
The English team, in response, crumbled to 170, marking their highest one-day international total conceded and setting a new record loss at this level. With three defeats in four games, including a nine-wicket loss to New Zealand and a shocking defeat by Afghanistan, England’s chances of reaching the semi-finals now hang in the balance.
“It certainly leaves us in a tough position,” remarked Buttler, acknowledging the critical situation. “There’s no room for error from here on in. It’s going to be incredibly difficult. We haven’t left ourselves any margin from this point. But we’ll keep the belief. We’ll sit down and go again.”
England’s bowlers struggled against Klaasen and Marco Jansen, who shared a formidable sixth-wicket stand of 151 in just 77 balls. Faced with a daunting chase, England’s batsmen resorted to aggressive shots against South Africa’s pace attack, resulting in an alarming dismissal in just 22 overs.
“I think it’s obvious that we’re not performing to our best,” Buttler admitted, taking responsibility as captain. “It’s my job, along with the rest of the team, to work out how we can get back to playing that brand of cricket, playing to our potential and getting back to our best.”
Despite the setback, Buttler emphasised determination, stating, “It certainly won’t be anyone giving up or having those kind of thoughts. We’ll just have to dust ourselves down and stick our chests out and go again.”
Reflecting on the decision to field first, Buttler conceded that, with hindsight, batting first might have been a wiser choice given the taxing conditions. However, he maintained his belief that chasing a more manageable total would have yielded better results. England faces Sri Lanka next on Thursday in a crucial match that could define their World Cup journey.
