Men’s ODI WC: Defeat to Australia showed the lack of confidence in England, admits Moeen Ali

Ahmedabad, Nov 5 : After England officially crashed out of the 2023 Men’s Cricket World Cup with a 33-run defeat to Australia, off-spin all-rounder Moeen Ali pointed towards a lack of confidence within the team which has led to them being at the bottom of the points table.

"Im disappointed as a player and we just havent been good enough in this tournament from the start really.

This match showed the lack of confidence in the side.I thought we were a little bit better tonight and we had the best of conditions and we know we should have won this game, but these things do happen in cricket.

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"I think weve just probably tried to do too much and, as players in particular, we try to be really aggressive and then we try to soak up a bit of pressure, but we just couldnt do it.Even tonight, every time we tried, we were in a position where we were, okay, were doing all right here, we just lost two wickets quickly and then we have to try and rebuild again and then lost two wickets again."

"Its a bit schoolboy-error but these things happen when you have no confidence as a side.

And we cant keep saying weve got no confidence.Weve got to do something about it.Weve tried.I think weve tried as a group of players to do that.

And sometimes you get a bit internal as a person in the side and its never that good for the team," said Moeen to Sky Sports.

Ali made 42 in England’s pursuit of chasing 287, alongside half-centuries made by Ben Stokes and Dawid Malan.But the trio were taken out quickly as England were bowled out for 253 in 48.1 overs.He also believes the lack of confidence in England has led to poor execution of their skills and plans.

"As a group of players and with the management weve tried to just, at times be like, lets go out and play our way, and sometimes when weve lost the game weve (said) lets go out and be harder, go harder, which weve always tried to do, and we just havent had the confidence.The lack of belief in the side… its something to say it but then to go out and do it.I dont think we that weve done it."

"Lack of runs, lack of wickets, not fielding as good as we know that we can .when you havent got runs as an individual, youre a little bit embarrassed of your own performances, and you can get a little bit internal, and I think weve done that.In the past weve just, I think stuck our chest out and said guys, Im going out and tried to take it on, and we just havent done it," added Moeen.

England have two more matches before rounding off their 2023 World Cup campaign --against Netherlands and Pakistan at Pune and Kolkata respectively.

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