England’s World Cup defense off to a rocky start, but Brendon McCullum remains confident

England’s ODI World Cup defense has gotten off to a less-than-ideal start, with the reigning champions suffering two defeats in their first three matches. However, head coach Brendon McCullum remains confident that his team can turn things around and qualify for the semifinals.

“They will get there,” McCullum said in a recent interview. “It is still early days and this tournament is a slow burn, so there is plenty of time and matches for them to catch up.”

McCullum pointed out that there have been other upsets in the tournament so far, such as South Africa’s defeat to the Netherlands. He also reminded everyone that England are the holders of both the 50-over and T20 World Cups, and that they have the quality to win again.

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“Of course, the boys would have liked to be 3 and 0, but sport doesn’t work like that and sometimes you have to cope with challenges and then show how good you are,” McCullum said. “One thing is for sure, there are good reasons why England have won two World Cups recently.

“It is the quality of the players and the manner with which they play the game that makes them a world class side. They just need to stay true to their method and their style which has brought them so much success and not get shaken by the odd bad day at the office.”

England will next play South Africa on Saturday at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. A win in this match will be essential for England’s hopes of qualifying for the semifinals.