England ended their ICC Champions Trophy 2025 campaign with a crushing seven-wicket defeat against South Africa at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi on Saturday (March 1).
Opting to bat first, England’s innings folded for a paltry 179 in 38.2 overs and the Proteas chased down the target with 125 deliveries to spare.
As a result, the Three Lions finished the tournament without a win. Earlier, the Jos Buttler-led side suffered defeats at the hands of Australia and Afghanistan in Lahore.
After the game, England skipper Jos Buttler acknowledged his team’s underwhelming batting display, saying that it has been the story of this side for quite a while.
"A really disappointing performance. We were so far short of the mark there today. It was a decent surface - pretty slow but a bit two-paced. We're not going on and making those big, telling contributions which has been a story of this side for some time now with the bat," Buttler said at the post-match press conference.
Asked about the lack of form of his batters, Buttler replied, "I don't know, to be honest. As a whole group, we're not getting the results and that takes away some confidence. Time for everyone to go away, have a change of scene, work hard.
"There's now a huge opportunity for everyone in the dressing room and those outside to put their hand up and say they want to be part of these white-ball teams," said Buttler, who had stepped down as white-ball captain following England’s loss to Afghanistan.
"There's no doubt that the talent is there. I'm sure (coach) Brendon and the guys at the top will formulate some plans, and it's down to individuals as well to say they want to be part of something and get this team back to where it should be."
Reflecting on his leadership tenure, Buttler said winning the T20 World Cup 2022 remains a memorable moment. "That was a fantastic time. To be a World Cup-winning captain is an incredibly proud moment. That was the best day in a captaincy shirt."
Praising former skipper Joe Root, Buttler added: "Joe's been a shining light and a great example for English cricket throughout. We've seen him take his game to new levels since relinquishing the captaincy. Hopefully, I can follow his lead."
