England Let People Down After Early World Cup Exit

England captain Jos Buttler said his team let people down after they were knocked out of the World Cup following a 33-run loss to Australia.

Defending champions England were officially eliminated from the T20 World Cup on Saturday after a 33-run loss to Australia. It was England's fifth consecutive loss in the tournament, confirming their early exit.

Disappointing Performance

A team full of match-winners, England came up short in the competition they dominated four years ago. Skipper Jos Buttler expressed his disappointment at the post-match presentation, saying, "It hurts a lot. We certainly haven't done ourselves justice. Wanted to have a real go at it. Incredibly tough to reach those highs winning in 2019 and everyone knows the work that goes into that. Feel like we've let people down. You wear that on your own shoulders."

England's Chase Falls Short

England had their moments in the chase of 287 but ultimately fell short. Buttler acknowledged that they could have finished the partnership between Zampa and Starc quicker, which could have made a difference in the outcome. He said, "Yeah, thought so on chasing 287, could have been better -- frustrating partnership between Zampa and Starc, could have finished it quicker. Having come up 30 runs short, there's certainly areas we can find those 30 runs."

Buttler's Own Form a Concern

Buttler's own form has also been a concern for the team, and he was the first to admit it. He said, "I think it was the right shot to play, execution was off. Felt that was the time to throw something back at the opposition," referring to his mistimed hit that was caught at long off. "My own form has been the biggest concern. I came in in a great place, but my own form has really hurt us."

Looking Ahead to the Champions Trophy

England, who are at the bottom of the table, will now look to win their remaining two games for a spot in the 2025 Champions Trophy. The top seven teams in the World Cup and hosts Pakistan will get to play in that competition. Buttler remains optimistic, saying, "Only way you can get back into form is keep going. The longer it goes on, the closer you are to coming out of it."