England will play co-hosts Sri Lanka in the Super Eights on Sunday, but Harry Brook’s team would have been flying home had it not been for Sam Curran’s heroics against Nepal.
To avoid humiliating losses, the all-rounder has risen to the occasion and shown himself to be the man for a crisis by providing game-winning late “death” overs against Italy and Nepal, two associate nations.
In order to pull off one of the greatest upsets in history, 16th-ranked Nepal needed just 10 off the last over while chasing 184. In front of a hostile pro-Nepal crowd at Mumbai’s crowded Wankhede stadium, left-arm swing bowler Curran held them to just five runs under tremendous pressure.
“I said to Brookie: ‘I’m backing six yorkers here, and I’ll take the hit if I don’t execute’. I think you’ve got to think like that. I’ve played a lot of T20 cricket. When you win the close ones they’re actually the ones that give you a little boost and a bit of a smile on your face,” AFP quoted Curran as saying.
According to captain Brook, the “unbelievable” Curran was a cool character and his go-to player at the death.
“We were both fairly calm out there. He knew exactly what he was going to try and do, and he executed outstandingly,” said Brook.
England all-rounder Will Jacks said: “Sam’s won us that game. It was ebbs and flows the whole way. I thought it was almost lost with six balls to go.”
Then, in their first World Cup, 27th-ranked Italy required 30 runs from the final two overs in Kolkata on Monday, a massive defeat that might have put England’s dreams of winning the tournament in jeopardy.
Curran came up once again and put an end to Italian aspirations with a brilliant 19th over. Once more, he gave up just five runs while tying down the big-hitting Grant Stewart before crucially dismissing him for 45. The 24-run victory sounded more effortless than it actually was because of his heroics.
“He’s shown for the last two or three years that when the pressure is on, he stands up. And that’s the sort of cricketer he is,” said England fast bowler Jamie Overton, whose job of bowling the decisive 20th over against Italy was made significantly easier by Curran.
Curran fought his way back into the England squad after spending a year in the wilderness on the international scene. He has once again become one of the players who skipper Brook and coach Brendon McCullum trust the most.
During England’s pre-World Cup white ball tour of co-hosts Sri Lanka, where they will play all of their Super Eight games, Curran was in excellent form. Three weeks ago, in Kandy, where the two teams will play again on Sunday, he registered his first T20 international hat-trick against Sri Lanka.
“He’s had a difficult sort of 12 months but he’s come back and it’s great to have him back,” said Overton.
In an unimpressive World Cup thus far, the 27-year-old has been England’s lone reliable player, producing with the bat or the ball in each game. The left-hander, who bats at number six, has helped form some significant partnerships by scoring 43 not out, 28 and 25 against the West Indies, Scotland, and Italy, respectively.
England has survived thanks to Curran.
