AHMEDABAD, India: In a Cricket World Cup encounter today, England’s skipper Jos Buttler seized the coin toss today and opted to take the field against Australia, a match that carried the weight of potential elimination for the defending champions.
The reigning champions, England, find themselves anchored at the base of the points table. Although their aspirations for a semi-final berth are a mere mathematical possibility, their primary objective is securing a top-eight finish to qualify for the 2025 Champions Trophy in Pakistan.
Buttler expressed his thoughts on the playing conditions, stating, “The pitch appears a bit tricky, but I believe it will improve as the day progresses. Nevertheless, we must elevate our cricket to another level. Wearing the England shirt always carries immense significance – personal pride, Champions Trophy qualification, and facing Australia.”
Australia, a team boasting five-time World Cup titles, currently stand at third place in the points table after securing four victories in six matches. In preparation for this crucial clash, they introduced two alterations to their squad, with all-rounders Cameron Green and Marcus Stoinis taking the places of Mitchell Marsh and Glenn Maxwell.
Australia’s captain, Pat Cummins, remarked on the toss outcome, saying, “We were leaning towards batting, so we aren’t too disheartened by the toss result. Whenever England and Australia collide, there’s an extra dash of intensity, making it an exhilarating fixture that’s always circled on the calendar.”
The line-ups for today’s contest are as follows:
England:
- Jonny Bairstow
- Dawid Malan
- Joe Root
- Ben Stokes
- Jos Buttler (captain)
- Moeen Ali
- Liam Livingstone
- Chris Woakes
- David Willey
- Mark Wood
- Adil Rashid
Australia:
- David Warner
- Travis Head
- Steven Smith
- Marnus Labuschagne
- Josh Inglis
- Marcus Stoinis
- Cameron Green
- Pat Cummins (captain)
- Mitchell Starc
- Adam Zampa
- Josh Hazlewood
