Jos Buttler believes Ben Stokes will "grow and grow" as England aim for T20 World Cup glory in Australia.
Stokes' unbeaten 42 helped guide England to a four-wicket win over Sri Lanka on Saturday at the Sydney Cricket Ground, ensuring they progressed from Group 1 alongside New Zealand, last year's runners up.
It means the reigning champions and hosts Australia failed to reach the last four, with England set to face the winner of Group 2 in Adelaide for a place in the final.
England appeared to be cruising towards victory when, having limited Sri Lanka to 141-8, Buttler and opening partner Alex Hales plundered their way to 75 without loss.
Yet the loss of five wickets for 36 runs in the space of seven overs resulted in a nervy finish for England, and Stokes had to step up late on to set the stage for Chris Woakes to strike the winning boundary with two balls to spare.
"Not a great watch, to be honest – didn't enjoy that much," Buttler said at the post-match presentation.
"We knew, coming here, we had to find a way to win the game, thankfully we did that."
Asked if Stokes was the ideal player for the scenario, Buttler replied: "Absolutely, it's the kind of situation he's made for, I'm delighted for him and when he's at the crease, that gives you a sense of calm.
"He can play a lot of roles, he effects the game in all facets, he's a proper competitor and it's getting to the stage of the competition where you'll just see him grow and grow."
Stokes missed last year's T20 World Cup, and only returned to action in the format in a warm-up series against Australia ahead of this edition of the tournament, with his score on Saturday his best since he managed 46 against India in March 2021.
Another key player for England against Sri Lanka was Adil Rashid, whose figures of 1-16 saw him named the Player of the Match.
When asked if he was worried by the fast start Sri Lanka made with the bat, Buttler said: "Yeah, a little bit, they got off to a really good start and having lost the toss we knew the wicket would probably slow up as we went along.
"I thought it was a fantastic over from Adil Rashid at the back end of the powerplay to change the momentum. He's been someone we've always turned to and I was really pleased with his performance.
"I think a lot of people always look at the end column, maybe he hasn't picked up the wickets he usually does. I don't think he's bowled with much luck, to be honest. He's had a few chances that were missed, I think he's still bowling well, and on surfaces like this he's a really tough bowler to face."
Rashid took the wicket of opener Pathum Nissanka, whose 67 had anchored Sri Lanka's innings.
Pathum has now accumulated over 1,000 T20I runs, becoming the 10th player from his nation to reach the milestone.
Super Arshdeep sets up routine India win over Bangladesh
Arshdeep Singh's fine performance with the ball paved the way for India's convincing seven-wicket victory over Bangladesh on Sunday.
Fast bowler Arshdeep recorded eye-catching figures of 3-14 in Gwalior before India made light work of chasing their 127-run target in the three-match T20I series opener.
Both Bangladesh openers fell to Arshdeep without reaching double figures as Parvez Hossain Emon was removed for eight and Litton Das on four to leave the hosts struggling at 14-2.
Last batter Mustafizur Rahman proved to be Arshdeep's last victim to wrap up the underwhelming Bangladesh innings, while spinner Varun Chakravarthy also impressed with 3-31 from his four-over allocation.
Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav all got starts before falling in India's response, though Nitish Kumar Reddy and Hardik Pandya had little trouble in lifting their side from 80-3 to victory.
Hardik did most of the damage in that game-clinching partnership, blasting an impressive 16-ball 39 that included five fours and two sixes to see India over the line with 49 deliveries to spare.
Data Debrief: Arshdeep leads the way
Arshdeep continues to set the tone for India against batters at the top order, with numerous batters struggling to cope with his dominant left-arm action.
Sunday marked the 11th time he has taken three or more wickets in this format, the most by any India bowler in T20I history.
West Indies Women bounce back with dominant six-wicket win over Scotland in ICC Women's T20 World Cup
The West Indies Women delivered a clinical performance to claim an emphatic six-wicket victory over Scotland in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup on Sunday, bouncing back from their humiliating 10-wicket loss to South Africa in the opening match. The West Indies, led by Afy Fletcher’s impressive bowling, restricted Scotland to a modest total of 99-8 from their 20 overs, setting the stage for a confident chase.
Fletcher was the standout bowler, taking 3-22 as she helped stifle Scotland’s batting efforts. Hayley Matthews, Karishma Ramharack, and Chinelle Henry also chipped in with a wicket apiece, putting Scotland under immense pressure. Ailsa Lister (26) and captain Kathryn Bryce (25) provided some resistance, contributing to a crucial third-wicket stand of 46 after Scotland had stumbled to 13-2 in the third over. However, once Fletcher broke their partnership, the rest of the Scottish lineup crumbled, with only Lorna Jack-Brown (11) and Darcey Carter (14 not out) offering any additional resistance.
Scotland’s total of 99-8 seemed unlikely to trouble the West Indies, but they suffered an early setback in their chase. Star batters Hayley Matthews (8) and Stafanie Taylor (4) were both dismissed cheaply, raising concerns of a potential collapse. However, Qiana Joseph quickly turned the tide with a blistering knock of 31 from 18 balls, while Deandra Dottin’s unbeaten 28 from 15 balls and Chinelle Henry’s quickfire 18 from 10 ensured a comfortable victory for the Caribbean side. The West Indies reached their target in just 11.4 overs, with 50 balls to spare.
West Indies captain Hayley Matthews expressed satisfaction with her team’s turnaround performance. "100 percent, we were able to go out as a group and restrict them to 99. Qiana Joseph was positive and Dottin finished it off. We did pretty well with the ball, limited the boundary balls, and got ourselves in a secure position. We also had to think about the net run rate, and we executed that well," said Matthews. "Next, we have Bangladesh, and if we win that and then against England, we’ll be in the semifinals."
Player of the Match Chinelle Henry also shared her thoughts on the team’s effort. "I first thank my teammates and coach. Our goal was to give the team a good start and improve our net run rate. We figured the wicket was slow, and batting was difficult, but we had a clear plan, we backed our skills, and we executed."
With this victory, the West Indies Women have reignited their World Cup campaign and will look to carry the momentum forward in their upcoming matches against Bangladesh and England.
Jofra Archer destroys Pickwick with five-wicket haul as BCA Elite Division bowls off
Barbados-born England fast bowler Jofra Archer delivered an extraordinary performance on the opening day of the Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) Elite Division three-day Championship on Saturday, capturing 5-7 to lead Wildey into a dominant position against ESA Field Pickwick.
Playing at the SJPI ground, Archer, in his return to Barbados cricket, bowled eight overs in two sharp spells, as Pickwick struggled to deal with his pace and accuracy, being bowled out for just 61 in 30 overs after being sent in. Wildey captain Jerome Jones also proved effective, taking three wickets for a mere three runs in his seven-over spell of left-arm spin, contributing to Pickwick's dismal collapse.
By the close of play, Wildey solidified their hold on the match, reaching 112 for one off 24 overs. Demetrius Richards remained unbeaten on 41, and Nimar Bolden was not out on 36, guiding their side into a strong position. The pair shared an unbroken 58-run partnership, following Zachary McCaskie's solid contribution of 34, as Wildey built a healthy lead.
Elsewhere in the competition, there were other standout performances across the island.
At Bank Hall, half-centuries from captain Akeem Springer (67) and Mikhail Austin (65) propelled Fusionz Boutique Spartan to 254 for eight after winning the toss against defending champions Empire. The pair added 90 for the third wicket, giving Spartan the upper hand, before Empire's spinners Jomel Warrican and Nathan Sealy, both recently returned from CPL duties, pegged back Spartan, sharing five wickets between them.
At Lester Vaughan, Superb Blend Gladiola captain Matthew Jones also produced a fine spell, taking five for 69 as his side bowled out SigniaGlobe Financial BCA Youth for 217. Gladiola closed the day at 42 without loss, setting the stage for a strong reply.
Meanwhile, at Friendship, left-arm spinner Steve Pinder’s five-wicket haul helped IGS Insurance Brokers Yorkshire dismiss UWI for 254, despite some late resistance from Chemar Holder (47) and Shaquan Cave (50), who added 78 for the eighth wicket. Yorkshire responded with 79 for one by stumps.
Finally, at Beckles Road, Bayview Hospital YMPC posted the highest total of the day, declaring at 280 for seven, with opener Raymond Kellman blasting 80 off 48 balls. Captain Kemal Smith (68) and Jadan Jones (57) also contributed valuable runs against Championship leaders Wanderers, who faced a tough battle ahead.
The BCA Elite Division's first day of Series 5 produced captivating cricket, with Jofra Archer’s sensational five-wicket performance stealing the spotlight as Wildey asserted their dominance.
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