ISLAMABAD: England captain Jos Buttler has acknowledged that his future as skipper could be at risk in the upcoming Champions Trophy match against Afghanistan.
England must win the Group B match in Lahore on Wednesday to avoid elimination from the tournament.
A defeat would mark a third consecutive disappointing white-ball tournament for Buttler, following England’s failed defences of the 50-over and 20-over World Cups in 2023 and 2024.
When asked if his future was on the line after these setbacks, Buttler responded, “Yes, absolutely. As an England captain, you always want to perform well and lead your team to victories. We haven’t been doing that enough recently.”
Despite the pressure, Buttler, who became white-ball captain after Eoin Morgan’s retirement in 2022, emphasised that he remains focused on the positives. “When negative thoughts arise, I try to push them aside and concentrate on the positive outcomes and how we can move forward,” he said.
Buttler confirmed that the only change to England’s lineup is Jamie Overton replacing the injured Brydon Carse.
England’s recent struggles have extended beyond major white-ball tournaments. Their defeat to Australia in the group opener, where they posted 351-8 but lost by five wickets, marked their 11th loss in 15 one-day internationals since the 2023 World Cup, and their fifth consecutive defeat.
They have also suffered losses in their last four bilateral series, though Buttler was absent for two of those.
However, following Australia’s washout against South Africa, England will progress to the semi-finals if they beat Afghanistan and South Africa. Any loss in either match would result in elimination, unless rain disrupts the group results.
Buttler emphasised the importance of building on their strengths. According to BBC Sport, Butler stated that they needed to focus on what they did well last time and aim to execute better in certain areas. “Scoring 350 was a strong effort, and we probably left a few runs on the table, which is a positive sign for the batting unit. With the ball, we did a lot right, but we need more consistency to build pressure.”
The match will be played on the same ground as their loss to Australia, but on a fresh pitch. England players have recently pointed out that the dew played a big role in that defeat, making batting easier for Australia in their chase—potentially adding as much as 60 runs to the target.
Dew generally affects spinners by reducing their ability to grip or turn the ball, and Afghanistan’s formidable spin attack, including world-class leg-spinner Rashid Khan, could capitalise on this.
“They present a tough challenge, but our focus is on being well-prepared and performing to the best of our abilities, both individually and as a team,” Buttler said.
