Jos Buttler hopes England can follow the formula of their thrilling World Cup victory last year to triumph in the 20-over version as squad jets off to South Africa for white ball series
- England are heading to South Africa for three ODIs and three Twenty20 games
- The countdown begins in earnest for two T20 tournaments in next two years
- Jos Buttler hopes England can replicate their 50-over success at World Cup
- England will be at full strength for the T20 games with Ben Stokes back
England left for South Africa on Monday night wanting to use their first assignment of a very different winter to step up their challenge for a World Cup double.
The white-ball trip will see emphasis put on the three Twenty20 matches that precede the three one-day internationals as England begin in earnest their preparations for next October’s short-form World Cup in India.
And Jos Buttler hopes they can take lessons learned from their thrilling 50-over World Cup triumph at Lord’s last year into the build-up for the first of two Twenty20 world tournaments scheduled for the next two years.
Jos Buttler hopes England can replicate their successful World Cup formula in the T20 format
Buttler celebrates a wicket with Chris Jordan during England’s T20 series with Australia
‘One thing we had in 50-over cricket was that the team almost picked itself towards the end of the cycle and that’s a great place to be,’ said vice-captain Buttler ahead of England’s £360,000 charter flight to Cape Town.
‘You get a lot of confidence from guys playing with each other and you become familiar with your own role and what you expect of your team-mates when you go into those high-pressure situations.
‘What we did in 50-over cricket was win and learn at the same time and, building towards the Twenty20 World Cup, we want to nail down our squad of 15 and starting 11. Winning this series would be a good start to that process.’
England will be at full-strength for the Twenty20 matches, with Ben Stokes returning after his compassionate leave, but will then rest three of the players who spent most time in bio-secure bubbles last summer in Stokes, Jofra Archer and Sam Curran.
England won the 50-over World Cup last year and will hope to replicate that in the T20 format
Ben Stokes will be among a full-strength England side playing in three T20 internationals
Buttler, just back from the IPL, was given the chance to be among them but opted to play in the 50-over series and is committed to another full stint behind closed doors, with England restricted to their Vineyard Hotel base near Newlands outside of matches.
‘This is a relatively short tour and I was very keen to play because I’ve really missed one-day cricket having only played three games since the World Cup,’ said Buttler, who is set to carry on opening the T20 batting in South Africa despite a stint back in the middle order with Rajasthan Royals. ‘I’m really looking forward to getting back in that team.
‘The ECB are excellent at player well-being and we always have very open conversations about how guys are feeling. Having my family with me the whole time at the IPL was a huge plus for me and my mental health. I’m ready to go again.’
Meanwhile, England’s historic tour of Pakistan will be delayed until late 2021 as they juggle the demands of a congested fixture list.
It had been hoped England would travel to Karachi for three Twenty20 matches in January in part as thanks to Pakistan for touring this summer but a probable clash with the first Test in Sri Lanka means the trip will be delayed until October next year.
