Former India captain Kris Srikkanth criticized all-rounder Sam Curran after England’s defeat to the Suryakumar Yadav-led team in the T20 World Cup 2026 semifinal. The former BCCI selector stated that Curran failed to contribute with both bat and ball at the Wankhede Stadium on Thursday, March 5.
India secured a seven-run victory over England in the second semifinal. English skipper Harry Brook won the toss and opted to bowl first but conceded 253 runs in 20 overs. Jacob Bethell fought for England with a sensational century during the run chase, but it was not enough for the side to cross the finish line.
Sam Curran Is an Absolute Waste – Kris Srikkanth
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Kris Srikkanth said that Sam Curran’s batting approach hurt England at a crucial moment in the run chase. Srikkanth pointed out that Curran relied too much on singles and doubles when the team needed quick runs.
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“He’s an absolute waste, taking ones and twos at that time. You can’t win a match with him, be it in bowling or batting. He has no strength to hit big. Bethell was alone and could not do anything. Overton is underton, doing a well-left at the end,” Srikkanth said.
“Curran ate up too many deliveries. He ended up putting pressure on Bethell also. He also bowled terribly. Curran needed a strike rate of 250, not 130. He should have played a knock like Tilak Varma. His knock was useless when they needed so many per over. Sam Curran finished England,” he added.
Jos Buttler Has Totally Lost It With the Bat – Kris Srikkanth
Kris Srikkanth criticized Jos Buttler following his poor form in the tournament. Srikkanth said that the opener looked far from his usual attacking self and struggled to make an impact. He added that poor performances from the opening pair made England’s chase more difficult.
“Buttler has totally lost it with the bat. I am not sure what happened to him. Buttler has become butter. He’s playing like butter. He just scored a fluke six here and there before slogging and getting out playing with no care. Likewise, Salt’s batting has no salt or pepper,” said Srikkanth (via the aforementioned source).
Sam Curran, Jos Buttler Struggle for England in T20 World Cup 2026
Sam Curran walked in at No. 7 with the team needing 82 runs from 36 balls. The all-rounder scored only 18 runs from 14 deliveries, which slowed the scoring at a crucial stage. Earlier in the match, he also had a disappointing outing with the ball, conceding 53 runs in his four overs without taking a wicket.
Curran had a few bright moments earlier in the competition. He finished the World Cup with a batting average of under 24 and a strike rate of 120.14, while his bowling economy rate was 9.46.
England’s opening pair also failed to provide a strong start in the chase. Jos Buttler scored 25 runs from 17 balls, while Phil Salt was dismissed for five runs from three deliveries. Buttler ended the tournament with only 87 runs at an average under 11, and Salt recorded an average of 16.25 in eight games.
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