KOLKATA: Former champions England carry the confidence of overcoming different challenges during the World T20 as they gear up to face the West Indies in Sunday’s final, leading batsman Joe Root said.
“We’ve found ways of winning games of cricket, which is really important,” Root said on Friday ahead of a practice session at the Eden Gardens.
“We found ourselves in a number of different situations that we have overcome. It means that whatever happens, we would have been in that situation before. We have experience to go back upon — ways that we have been successful.”
England, looking for a second title to add to their victory in 2010, lost to the West Indies by six wickets in their opening Super 10 game in Mumbai before turning things around with a 230-run chase against South Africa.
On a slower pitch in New Delhi, England won close games batting first against defending champions Sri Lanka and Afghanistan before an impressive seven-wicket win over New Zealand in the first semi-final.
Root said there had been no conscious change in the way they played after the initial setback against 2012 champions West Indies.
“There hasn’t been any attitude swing or the way we approach practice,” Root said.
“But we stayed true to what we believed in as a side and how we want to play our cricket. Everyone’s contributed in some way, shape or form, which is always nice going into a final.”
Root is England’s top scorer in the tournament with 195 runs while Jason Roy (183) and Jos Buttler (155) have also been among the runs.
Their bowling unit has also been effective with pace bowlers Chris Jordan and Ben Stokes taking charge in the end overs with finesse.
“The way we’ve bowled at the death has been outstanding. It’s about making sure everyone is doing what he does in practice. Every game has been rocking for us [in the tournament] so hopefully it will be the same” in the final, Root said.
Asked if it was better to face the West Indies rather than pre-tournament favourites India on home soil, Root said the opposition didn’t matter.
“If you are going to win the World Cup, you have to be the best throughout the tournament,” he insisted.
Root said the big-hitters from the West Indies could be stopped if runs are dried up since they usually look for boundaries.
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