England coach Matthew Mott previews their ICC T20 Cricket World Cup semi-final with India. Defending champions England have already lost twice in the tournament.
Providence Stadium, Guyana, West Indies
Providence Stadium, Guyana, West Indies
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00:00This moment is all that I've been dreaming of
00:29Somewhere I feel it in my soul
00:33One chance is everything we've waited for
00:37It's our time so let we take it through
00:41Knock it out of this world
00:45Out of this world we'll be going
00:49Out of this world, yeah
00:53Out of this world we'll be going
00:58Come on and we'll take it home
01:28Yeah spot on, that's exactly what his message was in our meeting this morning
01:32I think when we got through the Super 8's I think it was a mixture of relief
01:38I think we've been under the pump a little bit for the last couple of weeks
01:41Right from probably the washout against Scotland
01:43I think we've probably got into that mentality
01:46We've felt like we need to perform every game
01:50And there's a general feeling that our best cricket is in front of us
01:53I think we've been pretty good in patches
01:55We've done some really good stuff over here
01:57But we haven't put together that perfect game
01:59So with a bit of luck that happens against India
02:02It's certainly going to be a great occasion
02:04They're a very strong unit and they present a massive challenge for us
02:08But one that we're very excited to take on
02:10Has there been much discussion internally about what happened in Adelaide a couple of years ago?
02:15Probably the most complete performance England have had in your tenure?
02:19Probably the only thing that we've discussed is that we feel that they're a very different team to that semi-final
02:24I think the way that they've approached it in the last couple of years
02:27Is certainly taking the game on extremely hard in the power play
02:31I think Rowett with the bat has led the way extremely well
02:34And shown leadership in that department as has Joss for us
02:38But I think it presents a really unique challenge for us
02:41It's a venue we don't know well
02:43We've obviously been armed with a lot of information
02:45And we think we've got a squad to cover it
02:48But there's a little bit of unknown about what we're going to get
02:52And I think they've certainly played some really good cricket
02:55As we know with tournament play though
02:58No one remembers how the round matches went or the Super 8s
03:02It's how you go in the semis and the finals
03:04And we're excited about this unique challenge that we've got in front of us
03:07And just on Joss, since you mentioned him
03:10He obviously did pretty well in Adelaide that time
03:12But sort of came to life I suppose against the USA
03:15Do you feel like this is a great opportunity for him in the next couple of games
03:19To create some history as a captain and lead from the front with the bat?
03:22Yeah, I really do
03:24I think Joss's leadership keeps evolving every day
03:27I think already as a player he's got two world titles under his belt
03:31Which not many people have
03:33He's captained one
03:34And there's an opportunity for us to go further in this tournament
03:37One that we're all relishing
03:39He in particular looks at the top of his game
03:42And when he's leading from the front and batting like that
03:46Every side feeds off that
03:48I think we've got some great players around him that love the way he plays
03:51But probably the most important thing is how much of our bowling groups
03:56Evolved under his captaincy
03:58I think from the game against Australia where we got a few things wrong
04:01I think from that point on
04:03They've really shown the way and adapted the conditions extremely well
04:07Coach, congrats on making it to the semi-final
04:10India have been here for two tours recently
04:13A lot of the England players haven't been here in Guyana
04:16In terms of familiarity to condition
04:18Do you think that you're probably starting with a slight disadvantage
04:21And what information have you been able to gather about conditions here in Guyana?
04:26I don't think anyone starts at an advantage or disadvantage in a semi-final
04:30It's who adapts the quickest
04:33You can come in with preconceived ideas
04:35But our mantra has always been playing what's in front of us
04:38The intel that we can get in those first couple of overs
04:41Whether it's with the bat or the ball
04:43That's been a real strong suit in this competition
04:45The communication back and forth about what to expect
04:48What ends to maybe target with the win
04:51I've arrived today, there's no win today
04:53But we can expect that there will be some win
04:55And probably the key advantage for us
04:57Is having someone like Corrin Pollard in our camp
05:00Who's intel on all the islands
05:03And what we can expect has been invaluable
05:06He's got a great presence within our group
05:08And the way he goes about it
05:10I think both teams, we're going to go out there
05:13And throw punches at each other for 40 odd overs
05:16It's going to be a great contest
05:19It's the contest that everyone's wanted to see
05:21And we're excited about it
05:25Coach, how do you see India's vulnerability
05:28In knockout matches or in finals in recent years?
05:32I think what India's done incredibly well over the last few years
05:37Is put themselves in semi-finals contention
05:39The flip side to that is when you don't win
05:41People look at that as a negative
05:43But I think the consistency that they've shown over a length of time
05:46Shows what a great group of players they are
05:48And like anyone, when you get to the semi-final stage
05:51Every team, the four teams out here
05:53All think they're a chance to win it
05:55And there's small margins
05:58So if you take those key moments at the right time
06:01You get over the line
06:02If you don't, you go home
06:04So everyone knows the consequences of missing out
06:07But also the potential to go through
06:09You play two really good games
06:11And you go away the title
06:13Our tournament really starts tomorrow
06:15We're excited by it
06:17We know their players well
06:18They know us well
06:20It literally is going to come down to a couple of
06:22Bounces of the ball
06:23Or luck and timing at the right times
06:26Coach, what is the main reason for spinners being so successful in this tournament?
06:31What kind of impact do you expect in tomorrow's match
06:34As far as spinners are concerned?
06:36Yeah, that's a great question
06:38Because I think the perception that this ground spins
06:41Is actually not right
06:43I think if you look at the spin numbers
06:45It's not the biggest spinning ground
06:46But spin is used a lot
06:47So it's obviously effective here
06:49I think from what we're reading into it
06:51It's more to do with the lack of bounce
06:54So clearly if you're bowling spin
06:56And you're bringing the wickets into play
06:58It's harder to get away
06:59And if you stay there
07:00Which both spin bowling units will do
07:03I'm sure
07:04And they'll make it harder for the batsmen
07:06To access behind the wicket
07:08So you can shut off certain parts of the ground
07:10I think that's probably why it's been effective
07:12And the sheer quality of the spin that's on display
07:15Has obviously come to the fore throughout the tournament
07:19We'll take three more in the room
07:22And then we'll go to the hub
07:23Coach, when you say that this Indian team is different
07:26From the one that you faced in Adelaide 2022
07:29What exactly would you mean?
07:30Is it their batting?
07:31Is it their bowling?
07:32Or is it the general outlook of the team?
07:35I think when we go back to that semi-final
07:38Obviously on a good pitch in Adelaide
07:41We put India in
07:42And that was a risk
07:44But I thought we felt that they weren't sure
07:46What a good score was
07:47I think the approach now is
07:49They would come at us hard and try and maximise that
07:53Maybe try and put it out of our reach
07:55I think you've got two great batting line-ups
07:57The bowlers are all class as well
07:59So it's going to come down to on the day
08:01As we said earlier
08:02Who sums up those conditions the quickest
08:04And who can put the opposition on the back foot first
08:07And carry that momentum through
08:09Go ahead
08:10Matthew, the fact that after that England-Australia game
08:13You have practically been in a must-win situation
08:15In every game
08:16Does that put the team in great confidence
08:19Ahead of this obvious knockout semi-final game?
08:22Coming in, certainly it does
08:25And I spoke after the game
08:27The treachery of group stages
08:30Is there for everyone to see
08:32You've just got to find a way to get through
08:34It's not really until you get to the semi-finals
08:37And the finals
08:38That you sometimes open your eyes up to
08:41Expanding your horizons
08:42Playing that brand of cricket
08:44That we want to be renowned for
08:45I think both teams
08:46Whenever you get to the semi-finals phase
08:48The first part is relief, I think
08:50You've got through the really gritty, determined, hard part
08:53Even in T20s, sometimes the game demands
08:57You come into the semi-final
08:59We feel like we've been galvanised
09:01By the situation we've been in
09:02We've been sweating on weather
09:03We've been sweating on other results
09:05So it does feel like we can actually play
09:08With a fair bit more freedom in this semi-final
09:10And go out and really show our skills now
09:13And what we've got
09:14Last two here, please
09:16Matt, Josh Butler has shown
09:20A bit of vulnerability in the power play
09:23At least going by the IPL records
09:25Last season he was out in eight times
09:28This season, six times
09:30And before the eighth over
09:31He got about seven, eight times
09:33Is that a kind of giveaway
09:34That Josh Butler may have given to the Indian team?
09:39I think both him and Salty
09:41Josh and Salty have been a great combination
09:44For us over the 12 months
09:45I think they work really well
09:47When one's going, the other one can pull back and feed
09:50I think that's been a real key for Phil Salt
09:52Over the last 12 months
09:54His breakthrough was over here in the West Indies
09:56And their combination at the top
09:57Is something that we regard
09:59As a super strength within this team
10:01They're both outstanding players
10:03They're both selfless players
10:04And they play what the team needs
10:06So genuinely we're just excited
10:08What they can bring
10:09If one misses out
10:10We expect the other to do well
10:12And then we've got some really good options
10:14That we can adapt
10:15And try and put pressure back onto India as well
10:18Last one, Debasis
10:19And then we'll take some from the Hoop
10:20Matt, obviously
10:21Are you worried about the fact
10:22That Virat has not scored in the tournament so far?
10:26So perhaps a bit of vulnerability
10:28As far as Virat is concerned
10:30To start with
10:31In powerplay
10:32Virat's proven his class
10:34Over a very long period of time
10:35He's one of the players
10:36We've prepared well for
10:38We know how he can play
10:39We know how destructive he can be
10:41And we also know his game smarts
10:43If the game demands
10:44And innings of a different nature
10:46He's got that skill
10:47So he's definitely a key player for them
10:50And like we've said throughout this tournament
10:53What's happened throughout this tournament
10:54Means nothing tomorrow
10:55When we face off against each other
10:57Big players step up in the big moments
10:59We're hoping our players do that
11:01But you can expect him to do exactly the same
11:04I think we're going to go to the Hoop now
11:05We'll take two questions
11:06If we have any from there
11:08Can we just check if there's anything?
11:11Hello?
11:12Can you hear me?
11:13Yeah, go ahead
11:15Okay
11:16Hi coach
11:17Will Toss play an important role
11:19Considering the weather conditions?
11:21And how is England preparing
11:23Considering the weather might impact the game
11:25And it could be a shortened game?
11:54I haven't seen a weather report
11:55But what we've done throughout this tournament
11:57Is adapt to that
11:58We've had some shortened games
11:59We've had some opportunities
12:01To make sure we switch on at the right time
12:03So I feel like if that was to happen
12:05We're in a really good space to adapt to that
12:07And one more from the Hoop please
12:10Hi Matthew
12:12Could you also talk a little bit about
12:14Will Jacks
12:15He's someone who started the tournament with you
12:17And then has moved out of the team
12:19With the considerations of the pitch
12:21Is he someone who if called upon
12:23He could add a little bit to the team
12:25In these conditions in a semi-final?
12:52And then played such a stunning display
12:54In the last game as well
12:56So if he gets that opportunity
12:58I'm sure he'll be able to relish it
13:00Thank you
13:01Cheers Matthew
13:02Thanks guys