Harry Brook insisted England’s Super 8 qualification hopes at the T20 World Cup were not dented by defeat to the West Indies.
England’s struggles against spin in Asia resurfaced in a 30-run loss in Mumbai which left them third in Group C after two games.
Despite the defeat, Brook remained bullish of his team’s chances of navigating their remaining group games against Scotland and Italy to progress.
“You have to be confident in this game,” the England captain told Sky Sports Cricket.
“We obviously thank God we won against Nepal the other night, otherwise we’d be in a tricky situation.
“We obviously play Scotland and Italy next. We’ve just got to go back to do our homework on them and go back to the basics and see how we go.”
England succumbed to slow left-armers Gudakesh Motie and Akeal Hosein, and off-spinner Roston Chase as they were bowled all out for 166 in 19 overs chasing 197 for victory.
Nasser Hussain saluted the West Indies bowling attack after producing a performance which ratchets up the jeopardy in Kolkata, where England and Scotland meet on Saturday, live on Sky Sports.
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Highlights of the T20 World Cup match between England and West Indies, where Harry Brook’s side suffered their first defeat of the tournament.
‘More jeopardy on Scotland game’
“You have to give credit to how well the West Indies spinners bowled,” the former England captain said.
“It is survival of the fittest nowadays in T20 cricket and adapting, because your match-up is never going to always be in your favour.
“You have to give West Indies credit, but I think if there is an Achilles heel, it is a playing of spin for England compared to how good they are at belting seamers.
“Look at the way again Phil Salt got them off to a flyer, so I think there is a discrepancy there, but I still think this is a very good England side.
“With what’s happened now, there is a bit more jeopardy. When you go and play Scotland, if you’re almost through, you can go and play care-free cricket, but now you’ve got to win that game.”
Nasser: Not all doom and gloom
Despite his observations on the changes to the complexion of England’s next group game against Scotland, Hussain insisted it was not doom and gloom after the West Indies setback.
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Sky Sports’ Nasser Hussain discusses England’s upcoming T20 World Cup fixtures and says they must improve.
“That Scotland game becomes absolutely key now,” he added. “Scotland, in the last World Cup in Barbados, caused a bit of a scare for England – they got off to an absolute flyer and played really well.
“If England lose to Scotland, Scotland go to four points, England are on two and then anything can happen, so that’s why this game was so vital today.
“I expect England to beat Scotland and I expect them to beat Italy, but in a T20 game, it just takes one or two cricketers in the opposition. I expected England to beat Nepal, they only just got over the line.
“I still think this [England team] is a very good T20 side, I still think this is their best format, they had won 11 out of 12 going into today, so one loss against the West Indies is not doom and gloom.
“You’re still a very good side, but if you do beat Scotland and you do beat Italy and you get to Sri Lanka for Super 8s and it is spinning, which it will, that’s the area you just need to keep an eye on and just need to improve on.”
England’s T20 World Cup fixtures and results (first round)
All times UK and Ireland; all games live on Sky Sports
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