Joe Root is feeling bullish ahead of England’s weekend clash with Australia, claiming he would “have this team every day” over their rivals despite wildly differing fortunes at the World Cup.

The Ashes adversaries meet on Saturday at Ahmedabad’s 130,000-capacity Narendra Modi Stadium, which will also host the tournament final on November 19.

Only one of the two teams has any prospect of making it that far, with England propping up the table in 10th place after one win in six while Australia appear set fair for the knockouts after four victories.

But Root refuses to believe a side who came in as defending champions and well fancied to defend their crown have slipped as far as the standings suggest.

“Man for man, I’d have this team every day over the Australians,” he said, with an air of confidence that has largely eluded England since they touched down in India.

“We might not have played as well as we can do but we know when we play our best stuff the best teams struggle to compete with us.

“I look at this team and it’s more than capable of achieving way more than it has done throughout this tournament. With the quality of players we have, we should be sat right at the top of this (table). We all know that and we’re all very frustrated that isn’t the case.

“We’ve just got to look at Saturday as our World Cup final and play in the manner that’s expected of us and we expect of ourselves. We have massively underachieved to date and have three opportunities to show the world what we are capable of doing and what I know we are capable of doing.”

The statistical head-to-head makes for grim reading, with Australia boasting five centuries to England’s one, 61 sixes to England’s 27 and 47 wickets taken to England’s 36.

Australian leg-spinner Adam Zampa has taken 16 scalps, exactly twice as many as opposite number Adil Rashid.

But Root is relying on the competitive juices that come with every meeting between these two teams to drag his side out of their torpor.

England were 2-0 behind after the first two Tests of this year’s Ashes series but rallied to dominate the next three games and would surely have improved on a 2-2 draw had rain not intervened at Old Trafford.

“One thing that the Ashes does is, we’ve played a lot of cricket against a number of their players. If we can use that in a positive way then we have to take it into the game,” he said.

“You can always recall little things that can work in your favour. If it helps you feel good about yourself and you can be ready to use to your advantage, then absolutely.”

Relations between the teams were strained at times during the Test summer, not least over Jonny Bairstow’s controversial run out at Lord’s, and the battle lines remain drawn.

A press conference clip of Australia captain Pat Cummins smirking and suppressing giggles as he contemplated England’s World Cup struggles has been duly noted but has not raised Root’s hackles.

“Let’s face it, if it was the other way around would we be doing the same? Probably,” he said.

“If it motivates us a little bit more, great. It hurts, but it always hurts to be in this position, sat at the bottom of the table. There is no better motivator for any group of English players than to play against the Aussies.

“From my point of view, I throw everything into giving my absolute 100 per cent for England and can look people in the eye and shake them by the hand and move onto the next game. I’ve got no animosity with any of their team.”

England trained under lights on Thursday and will go through another workout on the eve of the game as they piece together their XI. The temptation to recall Harry Brook, who performed impressively against a similar bowling attack in the Ashes, must be strong and there is a decision to make over David Willey.

He was the best bowler against India last time out but has since announced him imminent international retirement. England could decide to look long-term and switch him out for Sam Curran, but Root is clear that the awkward timing of the news is not being held against Willey.

“They are decisions to be made by the coach and the captain. Only Dave will be able to tell you how he’s come to that decision and why he’s made it now,” he said.

“But the thing you can never look past is his professionalism. He likes those big-stage games and by announcing his retirement it’s made these three games as big as they can be for him.”

India became the first team to qualify for the knockout stages of the Cricket World Cup with a thumping 302-run victory over Sri Lanka in Mumbai.

Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill put on 189 for India’s second wicket in their total of 357 for eight and Sri Lanka could only manage a sorry 55 all out in reply.

Mohammed Shami’s five for 18 made him India’s leading wicket-taker in 50-over World Cups, with the hosts securing their seventh win from as many matches.

Dilshan Madushanka bowled captain Rohit Sharma off only the second ball of the India innings but Sri Lankan cheers proved short-lived as Kohli and Gill piled on the runs.

Kohli survived a tough caught-and-bowled chance off Dushmantha Chameera when he was on 10 and India were only seven runs short of 200 when Madushanka had Gill caught behind for 92.

The home fans had hoped to see Kohli score his second century of the tournament but he soon went too, Madushanka claiming his third victim with the India star on 88.

Shreyas Iyer quickly picked up the baton, though, becoming the fourth Indian batter to pass 80 before giving Madushanka a fifth wicket.

Sri Lanka then endured a nightmare start to their innings, losing four wickets for three runs inside four overs.

Pathum Nissanka was trapped leg before wicket by Jasprit Bumrah off the first ball but it was Mohammed Siraj who did most of the damage, snaring Dimuth Karunaratne and Sadeera Samarawickrama in the second over and then bowling captain Kusal Mendis with the first ball of the fourth.

Charith Asalanka lasted until the 10th over but, when he was caught by Ravindra Jadeja off the bowling of Shami, he had scored just one run from 24 balls.

Dushan Hemantha went next ball, caught behind by KL Rahul, and although Chameera denied Shami a hat-trick, he went for a duck in the bowler’s next over.

Only Angelo Mathews, Maheesh Theekshana and Kasun Rajitha reached double figures, with Sri Lanka bowled out inside 20 overs.

Joe Root says there is “no better motivator” for England’s World Cup strugglers than the chance to knock Australia off their stride.

While England lie bottom of the standings in 10th place after six games, their oldest rivals appear to be set fair for a semi-final spot with four wins under their belt.

Although their fortunes have differed dramatically in India, it is only a matter of months since many of the same players contested a thrilling Ashes series that ended 2-2 and would surely have fallen England’s way had it not been for rain at Old Trafford.

And Root is hoping to see his side rally against familiar foes, ending a four-game losing streak in Ahmedabad on Saturday.

“I don’t think we need to look at what has happened before; now is the time to look at what happens next and that is beating Australia,” he told BBC Sport.

“There is no better motivator for any group of English players than to play against the Aussies. It is about putting that performance together. Let’s concentrate on that and being as ready as we can do.

“To play against Australia, in many ways it is a great time for it to come for us, to go and put in a big performance and put a bit of pride back into what we are about as a team and get back to the standards we expect of ourselves and a group.

“Playing for your country is an extreme privilege. Every game means a huge amount to this group of players and they are all desperate to do well and we understand the responsibility that comes with the opportunities. We might not be able to go and win the tournament but we are desperate to win every game we play and will do everything we can to get that right and turn that around.”

Root also paid tribute to David Willey, who will retire at the end of tournament. Eyebrows have been raised at the timing of his announcement, a matter of days after he was overlooked for a central contract and with group fixtures still to fulfil, but Root had nothing but praise for his former Yorkshire team-mate.

“He has had some highs and lows like most players but has been a true professional,” he said.

“On and off the field he is a great team man and is great to have around the group. It might be our loss but it is someone else’s gain. I am sure he will be entertaining the world for a long time yet. It might not be on the international stage but around the world we will see a lot more of him

“Fair play, he has made that call, and it won’t be a distraction for us at all. If anything it will be another motivator for us to win those last three games for him and send him out of international cricket with some good cricket in his memory bank.”

Ackeem Auguste and Nyeem Young bowled West Indies Academy to an emphatic 92-run victory over the Guyana Harpy Eagles in the CG United Insurance Super50 Cup at the Sir Frank Worrell Cricket Ground in St. Augustine, Trinidad on Wednesday.

Needing 264 for victory after the West Indies Academy had posted 263 all out from their 50 overs, Guyana were dismissed for 171 in 35.1 overs as their batters offered little resistance to the bowling of Auguste, known for his batting, but who took 4-48 and Young who chipped in with 3-18.

The only real resistance came from Kevin Sinclair, who scored a hard-fought 46 and late order 32 from Veerasammy Permaul.

The Academy owed their match-winning total to Matthew Forde, known more for his bowling, and Teddy Bishop who posted scores of 52 and 48, respectively.

 Young was also productive with the bat with a solid 42 while Joshua Bishop got 37 and Kevin Wickham 32 against the bowling of Sinclair, Permaul, Gudakesh Motie and Shamar Joseph who each took two wickets for the Harpy Eagles.

Mark Wood has denied England were sidetracked by contract negotiations at the World Cup but admitted performances need to improve to live up to the new terms.

The England and Wales Cricket Board has revamped its central contract system in a bid to ward off the growing threat from T20 franchises, handing out long-term deals for the first time in addition to the usual annual extensions.

Wood was one of three players to sign a lucrative three-year term, having previously admitted that a huge offer to play in the United Arab Emirates was testing his resolve, with Joe Root and Harry Brook following suit.

The ECB hoped to have agreements in place before the tournament in India but, while some were finalised swiftly, others dragged on into the campaign and the announcement was finally made last week.

By then England had already played four times, losing three, and things have continued to veer off course, leaving the defending champions rock bottom in 10th place after six rounds.

Wood does not believe the two issues are linked but acknowledges the timing of England’s unexpected dip in results has not been helpful.

“I don’t think they were a distraction, no,” he said.

“If we’re trying to look for excuses, I think players need to look at themselves a little bit more, me included.

“But we’ve not lived up to that reward of the contract. I can understand people’s frustration. I would totally get that.

“Obviously when lads are rewarded with things and then they don’t perform at the level that you think, that’s justified. But it’s not through lack of trying. We are trying our hardest to get this right.

“There’s no cracks in the group. There’s no falling out. Everyone is generally trying to do it for each other. We believe in each other. It’s just not happening the way we want.”

Wood was honest about his own status, insisting that turning out for his country remained his primary motivation while acknowledging the financial muscle being flexed by franchise owners.

At 33, and with a long history of fitness issues behind him, he sought security and was pleased to see the ECB provide it.

“My motivation has always been to play for England. That was always what I’ve wanted to do as a kid growing up. That’s the pinnacle for me, so I’m delighted with the deal,” he said.

“I had some positive conversation with (ECB managing director of men’s cricket) Rob Key, to see if he wanted me to stay in the team or what he envisioned for me going forward with England.

“He said that I was part of the plans and I’m obviously delighted to have signed three years. It gives me security for me and my family.

“But I would definitely have had to consider (franchise offers), which is why I had lots of conversations with Keysy behind the scenes.

“As an injury-prone lad, if I ever have trouble, I’ll be well looked after by England physios.

“If you’re effectively self-employed, you go to these teams and say ‘Who wants me?’. But if I have a bad season or you get a bad injury, who then looks after you? So now I’m looked after by England and employed by England.”

England’s next match sees them take on Australia in Ahmedabad on Saturday, a renewal of hostilities between the old rivals after a tense Ashes summer.

Wood excelled for England in the series, helping inspire his side to a 2-2 draw after coming into the side 2-0 down.

Australia head into the match as favourites given England’s recent struggles and their own strong form, but Wood is still hoping to shift the balance.

“It’s completely different conditions, different players, different timing, different form (from the Ashes) but we’ve played against them for years,” he said.

“In one-day cricket, we’ve done well against them in recent times. I don’t think they’ll be going into this game pooing their pants, but it’s up to us to change that.”

Mark Wood has denied England were sidetracked by contract negotiations at the World Cup but admitted performances need to improve to live up to the new terms.

The England and Wales Cricket Board has revamped its central contract system in a bid to ward off the growing threat from T20 franchises, handing out long-term deals for the first time in addition to the usual annual extensions.

Wood was one of three players to sign a lucrative three-year term, having previously admitted that a huge offer to play in the United Arab Emirates was testing his resolve, with Joe Root and Harry Brook following suit.

The ECB hoped to have agreements in place before the tournament in India but, while some were finalised swiftly, others dragged on into the campaign and the announcement was finally made last week.

By then England had already played four times, losing three, and things have continued to veer off course, leaving the defending champions rock bottom in 10th place after six rounds.

Wood does not believe the two issues are linked but acknowledges the timing of England’s unexpected dip in results has not been helpful.

“I don’t think they were a distraction, no,” he said.

“If we’re trying to look for excuses, I think players need to look at themselves a little bit more, me included.

“But we’ve not lived up to that reward of the contract. I can understand people’s frustration. I would totally get that.

“Obviously when lads are rewarded with things and then they don’t perform at the level that you think, that’s justified. But it’s not through lack of trying. We are trying our hardest to get this right.

“There’s no cracks in the group. There’s no falling out. Everyone is generally trying to do it for each other. We believe in each other. It’s just not happening the way we want.”

Wood was honest about his own status, insisting that turning out for his country remained his primary motivation while acknowledging the financial muscle being flexed by franchise owners.

At 33, and with a long history of fitness issues behind him, he sought security and was pleased to see the ECB provide it.

“My motivation has always been to play for England. That was always what I’ve wanted to do as a kid growing up. That’s the pinnacle for me, so I’m delighted with the deal,” he said.

“I had some positive conversation with (ECB managing director of men’s cricket) Rob Key, to see if he wanted me to stay in the team or what he envisioned for me going forward with England.

“He said that I was part of the plans and I’m obviously delighted to have signed three years. It gives me security for me and my family.

“But I would definitely have had to consider (franchise offers), which is why I had lots of conversations with Keysy behind the scenes.

“As an injury-prone lad, if I ever have trouble, I’ll be well looked after by England physios.

“If you’re effectively self-employed, you go to these teams and say ‘Who wants me?’. But if I have a bad season or you get a bad injury, who then looks after you? So now I’m looked after by England and employed by England.”

England’s next match sees them take on Australia in Ahmedabad on Saturday, a renewal of hostilities between the old rivals after a tense Ashes summer.

Wood excelled for England in the series, helping inspire his side to a 2-2 draw after coming into the side 2-0 down.

Australia head into the match as favourites given England’s recent struggles and their own strong form, but Wood is still hoping to shift the balance.

“It’s completely different conditions, different players, different timing, different form (from the Ashes) but we’ve played against them for years,” he said.

“In one-day cricket, we’ve done well against them in recent times. I don’t think they’ll be going into this game pooing their pants, but it’s up to us to change that.”

Eoin Morgan has distanced himself from the England white-ball coach’s job and says Matthew Mott should be given more time.

England are on the verge of crashing out of the World Cup after losing five of their six matches so far to sit bottom of the table.

After the defending champions’ latest defeat – against hosts India on Sunday – former one-day captain Morgan said the players were “definitely unsettled” and “there’s something else going on, there has to be”.

Liam Livingstone has since insisted there are “no rifts in the camp”, while Sky Sports pundit Morgan played down talk he could replace Australian Mott, who signed a four-year deal when appointed in May 2022, saying: “It’s a bit far-fetched.”

Speaking on Sky Sports, he continued: “I was very clear in what I thought might be a cause to the performance the England team have produced in this World Cup, because nobody in the changing room – captain or coach or any of the players – can explain the situation they find themselves in.

“But I am very happy and cemented, hopefully, in what I am going to do in the future.

“I spend a lot of time at home now with my young family, which is great, and I love watching on.”

England, whose hopes of reaching the knock-out stage are all but mathematically over, play Australia on Saturday and then face the Netherlands and Pakistan.

Morgan added: “They are double world champions for a reason, they are not a bad team, by any stretch.

“Matthew Mott is going through the biggest challenge of his England coaching career at the moment and it is one that he should be given time to put right.

“Certainly towards the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean and the USA.

“But, if the England team don’t qualify for the Champions Trophy, the likes of (managing director of men’s cricket) Rob Key and the ECB will come under increasing pressure surrounding his (Mott’s) job.”

Australia all-rounder Glenn Maxwell has been ruled out of his side’s World Cup match against England after falling off a golf cart and sustaining a concussion.

Maxwell, who hit a tournament record 40-ball century against the Netherlands last week and also offers a handy second spin option, will miss Saturday’s clash in Ahmedabad after a bizarre sequence of events.

Maxwell had finished a round at Gujarat’s Kalhaar Blues and Greens club on Monday evening and was riding on the back of a cart with team-mates when he lost his grip, fell and hit his head.

Head coach Andrew McDonald told cricket.com.au: “In transporting him back from the clubhouse to the team bus, Glenn Maxwell came off the back of a car and has suffered a small concussion.

“He’ll go into six to eight days concussion protocol, so they said that takes into account the England game. It was just a clearcut accident. He’s an important player for us, hopefully it’s just the one game he misses.

“The guys were ferried off on carts. Glenn and a few other players jumped on the back of carts and unfortunately he lost his grip on the way back to the team bus and sustained that injury. Over the last couple of days he’s been assessed. We feel as though it’ll be a relatively straightforward return to play protocol with where he’s at at the moment.”

England’s Jonny Bairstow missed 10 months of cricket after badly breaking his leg playing golf near Harrogate in August 2022, while Maxwell also suffered an unlikely injury last November when breaking his leg at a birthday party in Melbourne.

Australia have two all-round options available to step in for Maxwell, with Cameron Green and Marcus Stoinis vying for a spot.

England seamer David Willey will retire from international cricket at the end of the World Cup, unhappy after missing out on a central contract.

The 33-year-old was the only member of the touring party in India not to receive a new deal last week and “wasn’t best pleased”, in the words of Rob Key, managing director of England men’s cricket.

A total of 26 players were handed new terms, with three more on pace development deals, leaving Willey in the strange position of pondering his immediate future while simultaneously trying to turn around England’s tanking campaign.

The left-armer has held up his side of the bargain, taking five wickets in three games and delivering the best economy rate of the six fast bowlers England have used at the tournament.

Willey channelled his growing frustrations in the perfect way in Lucknow at the weekend, taking a fine haul of three for 45 including star batter Virat Kohli for a nine-ball duck, but has now resolved to walk away.

Despite five defeats in six games of their World Cup defence, England’s players have lined up one after the other to praise the unity and morale in the squad.

But, in revealing his decision with three group games still to go, starting with rivals Australia in Ahmedabad on Saturday, Willey’s timing frames his personal frustrations.

Revealing the news in an emotive Instagram post, Willey wrote: “I never wanted this day to come. From a young boy, I’ve only ever dreamed of playing cricket for England.

“So, with careful thought and consideration, it is with great regret that I feel the time has come for me to retire from all forms of international cricket at the end of the World Cup.

“I have worn the shirt with immense pride and given my absolute everything to the badge on my chest.

“I’ve been very lucky to be a part of such an incredible white-ball team with some of the best players in the world.

“I’ve made some special memories and great friends along the way and been through some very difficult times.”

Willey has played 70 ODIs and 43 T20s and England must now decide whether to continue picking him for their remaining games against Australia, the Netherlands and Pakistan or use the moment to move on.

Sam Curran stands by as the most obvious replacement, as a left-arm swing bowler and attacking lower-order batter, while Surrey’s Gus Atkinson has played just once so far.

Both options are 25 and would represent an investment in the future, but England must also balance the need for an instant change in fortunes with a place at the 2025 Champions Trophy on the line.

“I feel I still have a lot more to give on and off the field while I am still playing my best cricket, and my decision has nothing to do with our performance during the World Cup,” he continued.

“I’m sure everybody who knows me does not doubt that, whatever my involvement in the remainder of this campaign, I will give my everything and more! That’s the only way I know.”

Announcing the new batch of central contracts in Bangalore last week, Key admitted an annoyed Willey had been unlucky to miss out.

“It’s fair to say David Willey wasn’t best pleased, as you can understand, being the only one not to get a contract,” he said.

“It’s bloody tough, to be honest. We’d love to live in a world where you can just say we have a pot of extra cash and you can just give him one because he’s coming out here for the World Cup.”

Willey missed out on England’s 2019 World Cup triumph in devastating fashion, named in the initial 15-man squad only to be axed at the last minute to make way for the newly available Jofra Archer.

That could have been the end of his international career but he fought his way back into contention and found a way back in when England needed two separate squads following the coronavirus pandemic.

He went on to be part of the T20 World Cup-winning squad in Australia last year.

A maiden List A hundred from Zachary McCaskie propelled the Barbados Pride to a 48-run win over the Combined Campuses and Colleges in their fifth round CG United Super50 Cup tussle at the Sir Frank Worrell Memorial Ground in St. Augustine on Tuesday.

McCaskie, playing his first game of the season, hit a 116-ball 131 including 13 fours and four sixes to help Barbados post 314-7 from their 50 overs after winning the toss.

West Indies batsman Shamarh Brooks also hit a well-compiled 65 off 67 balls including four fours and two sixes in support.

West Indies ODI skipper Shai Hope was also in a destructive mood, hitting 33 off just 19 balls including two fours and two sixes.

Left-arm seamer Jediah Blades and leg-spinner Abhijai Mansingh each took a pair of wickets for the CCC.

The CCC chase, after a valiant effort, ended in the 46^th over with them being bowled out for 266.

Captain Shane Dowrich, who hit a brilliant unbeaten 102* to lead them to victory against the Windwards in round three, top scored with 86 off 84 balls including five fours and three sixes.

18-year-old West Indies Under-19 batsman Jordan Johnson also showed excellent form, following up 41 in round four against the Jamaica Scorpions with a 45-ball 50 including two fours and two sixes on Tuesday, his maiden List A fifty.

Demario Richards, who also hit a half-century against the Scorpions, made 41.

Off-spinner Roston Chase took 3-56from his 10 overs while Dominic Drakes and Roshon Primus picked up two wickets, each, in support for the Pride who now have three wins, one loss and one no result.

Justin Greaves hit his maiden List A century to help the Leeward Islands Hurricanes secure a massive 114-run victory over the Windward Islands Volcanoes in their fifth round CG United Super50 Cup fixture at the Queen’s Park Oval on Tuesday.

The Leewards posted 293 all out from their 50 overs after winning the toss.

Greaves, who also hit 58 in their last game against the Trinidad & Tobago Red Force, led the way with a masterful 121 off 126 balls including 10 fours and a six while Jahmar Hamilton provided good support with an even 50 off 72 balls, the eighth of his List A career.

Captain Alzarri Joseph and all rounder Terance Ward provided cameos of 24 and 22, respectively.

Pacer Shermon Lewis picked up three wickets in his seven overs, but was expensive, conceding 68.

Leg-spinner Darel Cyrus took 2-52 from his full 10 overs while Shamar Springer took 2-45 from six.

Springer then completed a fine all-round performance with a top score of 58 but it wasn’t enough as the Windwards slumped to another defeat, being bowled out for just 179 in 42.3 overs.

Alick Athanaze got a start once again with 39 and Kavem Hodge hit 38 against Hayden Walsh Jr’s 4-40 from 6.3 overs for the Hurricanes.

Left-arm spinner Daniel Doram provided good support for Walsh Jr with 2-29 from his 10 overs.

Walsh Jr and Doram are now top two on the leading wicket-takers list after five rounds with 17 and 14 wickets, respectively.

The Leewards now have three wins and two losses this season while the Volcanoes have only one win from their five games.

Cricket West Indies (CWI) announced that Barbados Pride all-rounder, Raymon Reifer has been suspended from bowling his slower balls and cutters in all cricket matches until his action on these deliveries is cleared. Should Reifer use these deliveries in a match, CWI reserves the right to suspend him from bowling altogether.

Reifer, Barbados Pride’s left-arm seamer, was reported by the match officials during the CG United Super50 Cup match between Barbados Pride and Windward Volcanoes on 25 October at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy.  In accordance with the procedure for suspected illegal bowling actions, the match footage was sent to Loughborough University for an opinion report. The report has determined that an illegal action was used to bowl the cutters and slower balls.

The Barbados Pride are currently fourth in the table with 24 points after their four matches, having won two and lost one, with one no result due to rain.  They are correctly playing their fifth match of the CG United Super 50 Cup against the Combined Campuses & Colleges, which can be watched live on the WindiesCricket YouTube channel.

The semifinals will be played on 8 and 9 November at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy. The CG United Super50 Cup final will be played at 1pm on Saturday, 11 November at the same venue. These will be day/night matches and will be televised exclusively live on ESPN Caribbean with match highlights on the Windies Cricket YouTube channel.

Follow live CG United Super 50 Cup ball-by ball scores on the Windies Cricket live match centre: https://www.windiescricket.com/match-schedules/

Dawid Malan believes it would be unfair for England head coach Matthew Mott to take the blame for a dire Cricket World Cup campaign, suggesting the players themselves “need to take responsibility”.

England arrived in India as reigning champions and among the favourites but have unravelled in dramatic fashion over the past month.

After six games they sit bottom of the table in 10th place, with a solitary win against fellow strugglers Bangladesh, putting Mott’s white-ball role under scrutiny.

Speculation over the Australian’s position increased when Eoin Morgan, the side’s World Cup-winning former captain, claimed the squad seemed “unsettled” and later suggested England “take a leaf out of Baz’s book” – a direct reference to Test coach Brendon McCullum.

Malan, the top run-scorer and solitary centurion in an underperforming lineup, told BBC Sport: “Motty is not the one walking out on the field.

“We are being given everything we need to perform. The facilities and work, everything is being done as it always has been, we just haven’t been able to find a way to get wins on the board. It has been frustrating from a players’ point of view because we know we’re better than that.

“I’m not involved in selection or any of those things, so I don’t know how that works or who is in charge of all that, but as players we need to take responsibility when we cross that rope.”

Malan broadened the focus away from Mott’s future, insisting that everyone involved in the campaign would be feeling the same heat.

“I guess whenever you have a poor campaign there is always someone who’s going to be targeted whether it be the captain, players, coach or selectors,” he said.

“People’s jobs being scrutinised and players’ careers being scrutinised. We have a hell of a lot to play for in the last three. The only way we can get the noise off the coach is by performing. And it is up to us next three games to win these games and take that narrative away because we have not performed.

“I know people say that a lot when their backs are against the wall but genuinely, we still back each other and we’re still here for each other. We just haven’t been able to put those performances out on the pitch.”

Malan recently accepted a new one-year central contract with the England and Wales Cricket Board and, at 36, was neither surprised nor aggrieved to miss out on one of the new multi-year offers.

He still hopes to play a part in next summer’s T20 World Cup but does not shy away from the fact that he is entering a different phase of his career.

Malan confirmed that his latest deal with Yorkshire was as a white-ball only deal, effectively ending a first-class career that brought more than 13,000 runs, 22 Test caps and the high point of an Ashes century in Perth.

“I’m not going to be playing four-day cricket, but I still have a contract with Yorkshire to play the Blast and I’ll still be playing the Hundred if I can get a contract in that,” he explained.

“I’ll probably try and play as much white-ball cricket as I can for the rest of my career. It’s prioritising spending a bit more time at home because my winters are so busy with internationals or franchise tournaments.”

Malan does not know how long his England days will last, but the appetite for fresh blood and renewal of an ageing side may hasten the end for several members of the current squad.

With that in mind, he knows the 2025 Champions Trophy may be a step too far for him but remains eager to clinch a top-eight finish in India and guarantee the next generation do not miss out of qualifying for the tournament.

“Two years feels a long way. I’m pretty sure I’ll be done but I’d love the guys to play in that,” he said.

“If the decision gets made to move on from players, the last thing you want is that we haven’t done well enough to give other players the opportunity in future to play in big tournaments. It’s definitely not going to be a situation where we just go through the motions because we’re potentially out of this World Cup. We have a lot at stake and a lot of pride for England to be in that Champions Trophy in two years’ time.”

Pakistan are targeting a late push for the Cricket World Cup semi-finals after a convincing seven-wicket win over Bangladesh.

Faced with a target of 205 at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, Pakistan made light work of knocking it off, thanks in large part to opener Fakhar Zaman's 74-ball 81, which included seven sixes.

That victory moved Pakistan onto six points, with two pool matches - against third-placed New Zealand and lowly England - remaining.

Should they win both, then Babar Azam's side stand a strong chance of qualifying, though they will also rely on both the Black Caps and Australia, who both have a match in hand, slipping up.

"Credit to the boys, the way they played in all three departments," said captain Babar at the post-match presentation.

"We know how well Fakhar plays when he's going and it was good to see him do it.

"We are trying to win our remaining matches and see where we stand. This win hopefully gives confidence in the coming matches."

Bangladesh, meanwhile, have been eliminated, with their captain Shakib Al Hasan saying: "Not enough runs.

"We lost an early wicket, then we had partnerships but not big ones that would allow us to go big in the last ten overs."

Shakib put on 43 to complement a 45 from Litton Das and Mahmudullah's 56, but Bangladesh were bowled out for 204 after only 45.1 overs.

Fakhar's superb knock and Abdullah Shafique's 68 swiftly paved the way for Mohammad Rizwan (26 not out) and Iftikhar Ahmed (17no) to seal victory for Pakistan in the 33rd over.

It was just the fourth time Pakistan had defeated a team with at least 100 balls remaining in an ODI, having last done so against West Indies in 2011. The big win boosted their net run rate, which may still prove decisive in the battle to reach the semis.

"I practiced a lot after the Asia Cup," said Fakhar, who after hitting three successive ODI centuries earlier this year, had failed to score above 33 in his 11 innings since the start of May and lost his place in the side.

"Thankfully, I was feeling very good in the camp. I was looking forward to scoring for my team, but it's cricket, Today I got a chance. I had worked hard for this and it paid off.

"It doesn’t matter how the wicket will play, I know I can hit sixes, so I was just looking to play out the first four overs.

"My role is always to make it easy for my partner. I know my role, it was to see off the first four overs and then go for the ball. We were just looking to finish the game before the 30 overs.

"After too many failures I was always looking just to score the first 30 runs and I was struggling to get that. I’m very happy – hopefully I'll make it big in the next games."

Shaheen Afridi, meanwhile, joined Australia spinner Adam Zampa at the top of the wicket-taking charts for the tournament with figures of 3-23.

Dawid Malan believes it would be unfair for England’s head coach Matthew Mott to take the blame for a dire World Cup campaign, suggesting the players themselves “need to take responsibility”.

England arrived in India as reigning champions and among the favourites but have unravelled in dramatic fashion over the past month.

After six games they sit bottom of the table in 10th place, with a solitary win against fellow strugglers Bangladesh, leaving Mott’s white-ball role under scrutiny.

Speculation over the Australian’s position increased when Eoin Morgan, the side’s World Cup-winning former captain, claimed the squad seemed “unsettled” and later suggested England “take a leaf out of Baz’s book” – a direct reference to Test coach Brendon McCullum.

Malan, the top run-scorer and solitary centurion in an underperforming lineup, told BBC Sport: “Motty is not the one walking out on the field.

“We are being given everything we need to perform. The facilities and work, everything is being done as it always has been, we just haven’t been able to find a way to get wins on the board. It has been frustrating from a players’ point of view because we know we’re better than that.

“I’m not involved in selection or any of those things, so I don’t know how that works or who is in charge of all that, but as players we need to take responsibility when we cross that rope.”

Malan broadened the focus away from Mott’s future, insisting that everyone involved in the campaign would be feeling the same heat.

“When you don’t perform well enough as a team there will be questions asked of certain people, whether that is the players, captain, selectors, coach, whoever it is,” he said.

“There is always going to be questions asked, that just comes with it. The only way to change that narrative is to put runs on the board.

“But the mood is still extremely good in the camp. It still feels like all the boys are together.

“I know people say that a lot when their backs are against the wall but genuinely, we still back each other and we’re still here for each other. We just haven’t been able to put those performances out on the pitch.”