GEORGE DOBELL IN ADELAIDE: The reigning 50-over world champions are set to face India in the T20 World Cup semi-final in Adelaide on Thursday (November 10) - "the biggest game you can play in T20 cricket", in the vice-captain's words
England need to win more tournaments if they are to be considered a "great white-ball side", according to Moeen Ali.
The reigning 50-over world champions are set to face India in the T20 World Cup semi-final in Adelaide on Thursday (November 10) - "the biggest game you can play in T20 cricket", in Moeen's words - having now reached at least the semi-finals in the three most recent such events.
But although they won the 2019 World Cup, the defeats of 2016 - when Carols Brathwaite smashed four sixes in the final over of the final to win it for West Indies - and 2021 - when Daryl Mitchell helped New Zealand thump 57 from three overs to clinch the semi-final - clearly still leaves the likes of Moeen "hurt".
"There's a lot of talk about us being a great white-ball side," Moeen said. "And the England team has been really good.
"But we've only won one tournament and it's important we start winning more as a team and as a country. Then we can really call ourselves a top side.
Moeen and Jos Buttler have formed the England leadership group in Australia (Mark Evans/Getty Images)
"We are a really good side. I get that and we have been over a long period.
"But if we're going to be a great side we need to win more trophies. Then, when we look back as individuals, I want to say 'yes I was part of a great side.'
"The 2016 defeat hurt. Last year's hurt, too. We were playing well in that game [against New Zealand] but we struggled at the end with the ball.
"You want to win as many trophies as you can. Especially the guys that don't have long left, like me. Maybe a couple of years. We won’t get this opportunity again. We're desperate to win."
Despite all that, Moeen accepted that England go into the match as underdogs. And he was particularly impressed with Suryakumar 'SKY' Yadav, who he referred to as "the best in the world".
Moeen celebrates England's World Cup victory in 2019 (Clive Mason/Getty Images)
"It's almost the pinnacle of cricket," Moeen said. "It's the biggest game you can play in T20 cricket in terms of the crowds and playing against a top side and cricket being such a force in India. That's what you want as a player.
"We will be the underdogs in this game. They will be the favourites to win and it will be a great game.
"Sky? He's an amazing player. I do feel like he's the best in the world. But he's one of many good players they have. He's probably taken T20 cricket to another level.
"I think he's the first of the players who come through where you can't bowl at him when he's playing well. It's very difficult and a weakness doesn't really stick out. But he's one of many top players that they have. We're going to have to play well against them to win.
"As an individual, generally, when I think about these games you think about turning up and putting in a performance that's going to win the game for England. In T20 cricket even though it's a team game and guys have got to contribute, it is generally one or two guys that need to step up on that day."
Suryakumar Yadav is ranked No.1 in the ICC T20I batting rankings (SURJEET YADAV/AFP via Getty Images)
Moeen also provided an interesting insight into the changing world of coaching, suggesting the days of traditional team meetings were gone.
"We actually haven't had a lot of meetings," he said. "The days where a coach stood in front of a whiteboard have gone for a lot of teams. I don't think the top teams do it as frequently. Some teams have so many meetings and it just doesn't work I don't think.
"We have a batters meeting and a bowlers meeting. A batters meeting is the batters talking to each other in the nets. I feel like that's the best batting meeting. Because you sit in a room and talk about who you're going to face and what you're going to do and actually after 10 minutes people generally switch off and it becomes repetitive and you say clichés and stuff.
"But actually if me and you are batters and we're in the nets we're like 'what does he bowl? What does he do? What do you think of him?' Then you kind of understand what the players want. I feel they are the best meetings
"Before, you used to have coaches and you'd take anybody with a big name. Now there's a lot more work that goes on brought in by other people and I think it's really, really important for teams."