NEW DELHI: On the eve of the high-stakes T20 World Cup semi-final against India, England captain Harry Brook made one thing clear – his side thrives when the pressure is on.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SIGN UP NOW!England’s journey to the last four has been anything but smooth. They stormed through the group stage with gutsy wins over Nepal, Scotland and Italy before suffering a heavy defeat to the West Indies. But in the Super Eights, Brook’s men threw a switch and went unbeaten against Sri Lanka, Pakistan and New Zealand – the latter requiring a nerve-wracking 43 runs off the last 18 balls.
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“We’ve been able to push ourselves in tight games and that’s a good sign,” Brook told Sky Sports Cricket. “I learned that you never go out of the game. I know that I have players with great character, the will to win, they want to win a lot, but also calm under pressure.”That belief, he insists, is what makes England’s formidable run into the semi-finals against the hosts. “I want it to always be as comfortable as possible for the batsman,” he added, underscoring England’s aggressive mindset.Despite the slender returns of the white-ball great Jose Buttler and the inconsistent outings of Phil Salt, Brook threw his weight behind his top order. “I think Jos should be left alone. He’s one of the best players to ever play the game and I can see him doing well,” he said. “We have so many strong players in the front seven that if one goes out, the opposition will be left scratching their heads.Brook also reserved special praise for all-rounder Will Jacks, calling his first proper World Cup “phenomenal”. “He accepted the position and did exceptionally well. The character he showed was amazing.”With India backed by a roaring home crowd, Brook knows the stage will be daunting. “It’s going to be loud … a massive event with a hell of a lot of pressure on both sides,” he said.But if the English campaign proved anything, it’s this: write them off at your own peril.
