Incredibly tough challenge to win in India, but we’ve got the players: Woakes

PTI, Oct 13, 2023, 11:48 AM IST

New Delhi: While admitting the toughness of the task, all-rounder Chris Woakes said England are capable of delivering a knockout blow on India in the on-going World Cup.

India started their campaign in the quadrennial big bash with two wins over Australia and Afghanistan, while champions England lost to New Zealand before regrouping to wallop Bangladesh.

“It’s an incredibly tough challenge to win in India. I think the sub-continental teams will feel more at home with the conditions,” Woakes was quoted as saying by Sky Sports.

However, Woakes, who was part of England’s World Cup winning squad in 2019, said they have the wherewithal to pin India to the mat.

India and England will face each other on October 29 at Lucknow.

“That makes it extremely hard for us to knock them off their perch. But we’ve got the squad and the players to be able to compete.

“People have looked at us for a while and we’ve had a little bit of a target on our back as a white-ball team, around the world,” said Woakes.

The Warwickshire player said England will have to tame expectations on them to do well in the tournament.

“It’s a tough competition to win isn’t it? Especially here. But we’ll give it a good crack. We’re taking it each game as it comes.

“Naturally, people have got expectations of us and we’ve certainly got our own expectations of ourselves,” he added.
In their next assignment, England will lock horns with Afghanistan at New Delhi on Sunday.

Woakes said he wanted to improve his bowling performance.

“I certainly feel that I would’ve liked to have bowled a little bit better. But these are long competitions and you don’t want to peak too soon.

“I have built into tournaments in the past and into series, which I suppose holds me in good stead. But you contribute every time you go out in the field. So, I’ll be working hard in practice to try and make sure that I’m on the money,” said Woakes.