Eoin Morgan reckons the global demand for English players shows just why his side have what it takes to fulfil their ‘big’ ambition for T20 World Cup glory.
Morgan himself has just skippered a side to the final of the IPL in Dubai, while Moeen Ali was on the winning Chennai Super Kings team with 37 not out in the trophy winning match.
And with so much T20 tournament experience in his side, he believes his players can go one better than their runner up spot in 2016.
“I think the passion, determination and ambition within the squad is quite big,” said Morgan. “And that grows year on year, so it'll obviously be a special achievement if we win.
“Over the last five years the guys have learned more about their own game. They've had more clarity and experience, they've had more failures, they've had more success.
“Probably since then it's been a little bit of a catalyst for the majority of our guys being picked up in various tournaments and at a sought after rate.
“You see guys going to the Big Bash and the IPL, and not going there to just be another player but going there with ambitions of being the best in the tournament.
“We’ve made a lot of progress and we are genuine contenders this time and not an afterthought like we were in 2016. We’re second favourites and that’s part of the journey.”
Meanwhile, West Indies captain Kieron Pollard says England will still have the 2016 T20 World Cup final at the back of their minds when they kick off the tournament on Saturday.
The four successive sixes hit by Carlos Brathwaite in the final over to snatch victory for the Windies has become one of the most iconic moments in sport, and it was understandable that Eoin Morgan was at pains to insist it won’t have an effect on the game this weekend.
But the Windies skipper is smart enough to know that anything that can be used to play on the mind of the opposition is a useful tool.
“It is definitely going to be at the back of their minds,” said Pollard.
“I thought what Carlos did in those four deliveries in that last over. It's unbelievable. And it's something that, as a team we actually saw, last night and it brought goosebumps back to us.
“To be in that situation and get over the line, it shows that sort of never say die attitude, and we as a team look forward to trying to replicate winning the entire tournament.
“Those are moments that stick with us, and hopefully we can just go out and play good cricket and get in a position and a situation where we get to the final and we can have some memories.”
