Jacob Bethell says England’s T20 World Cup campaign starts now after a few close shaves in the first group stage.
England overcame Nepal in a last-ball thriller and were beaten by the West Indies before being given scares by Scotland and Italy, winning both to finish second in Group C and advance to the next round.
The International Cricket Council has faced a backlash for its decision to pre-seed the world’s top-eight sides before the tournament, which had the unintended consequence of the four group winners being lumped together in the Super 8s while all four runners-up, including England, go into the other pool.
“I think everyone had the same mindset of the main thing is just to get through to the Super 8s and now we’re here, the proper competition starts,” Bethell said.
“I don’t think anyone would care if they were first or second, to be honest.”
Bethell trained on Friday with a bandaged ring finger on his left hand after suffering a cut in the field against the Windies last week – the only Test team England faced in the first group stage.
Having had a few stitches, Bethell has been unable to bowl his left-arm spin although the injury will be assessed before England begin their Super 8s phase against Sri Lanka in Pallekele on Sunday.
There is rain forecast as England attempt to put a difficult group stage behind them, with their top-order unconvincing. Bethell has been the standout but he has made just one half-century in four innings.
Despite being underwhelming up to now, England warmed up for the World Cup with three T20 wins over Sri Lanka at the same venue where they will meet the tournament co-hosts this weekend.
“I think we’re definitely coming back to this part of the world with a lot of confidence,” Bethell said. “We’re winning games of cricket when we’re not firing, so imagine when we do?
“From the whole group there were a few nerves at the start (of the tournament). But I think, especially round the batting group, it was just a bit of tentativeness.
“That’s sometime what a tournament does. But we’re definitely looking to shed that little bit of tentativeness and go and play the cricket we’re used to playing.
“We’ve got certain people that have done OK and well enough. But I think it’s definitely lit a fire in all of us to really go in there and put in some proper performances.”
Bethell, meanwhile, has apologised for being on a night out just hours before England played New Zealand in November, which ended with white-ball captain Harry Brook being punched by a bouncer.
The incident is being investigated by the Cricket Regulator, which limits what Bethell can say about what happened, but it has opened up a debate about cricket’s relationship with alcohol.
“We obviously made a mistake and we’re sorry for that,” the 22-year-old added. “But it’s still an ongoing process so I can’t really say too much.”
