England all-rounder Sam Curran has expressed confidence that his team can produce a “perfect game” and silence the crowd when they face India in the T20 World Cup semi-final at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium on March 5.
Curran said England would draw inspiration from their dominant performance against India in the 2022 T20 World Cup semi-final in Adelaide, where Jos Buttler and Alex Hales powered England to a 10-wicket victory while chasing 169. England eventually went on to win the title, with Curran finishing as the tournament’s Player of the Tournament.
Speaking ahead of the clash, Curran said the Adelaide performance remains the benchmark for England. “Everyone talks about playing the perfect game, and that was probably ours,” he said. “If we can get close to that performance again, it would be great. But at the end of the day, it doesn’t have to be perfect – we just want to win and reach another World Cup final.”
England have not been at their fluent best during the tournament but have still managed to build momentum, winning three consecutive matches in the Super Eight stage. All-rounder Will Jacks has been their standout performer with four Player-of-the-Match awards, while captain Harry Brook has led the batting charts for England, including a match-winning century against Pakistan.
However, the form of former captain Jos Buttler remains a concern. Buttler has scored just 62 runs in seven innings so far, including a duck in England’s last match against New Zealand. Despite the lean patch, Curran backed the experienced opener, pointing out his strong record at Wankhede and his long-standing contributions to England’s success.
The semi-final is expected to be played on a red-soil pitch that could assist spin, though bounce and pace are also likely to play a role. Curran said England are well prepared for the challenge, including the intense atmosphere generated by a packed Indian crowd.
“If the crowd goes quiet, it probably means we’re doing well,” he said.