KARACHI
\nEngland batter Dawid Malan sobbed like a child after he was denied playing the T20 World Cup 2022 final against Pakistan, the English cricketer shared later.
\nMalan sustained a groin injury during England\u2019s last Super 12 clash against Sri Lanka, while pacer Mark Wood suffered a hip problem.
\nThe two players missed the semi-final clash against India, during which England crushed the Men in Blue to qualify for the finals of the mega event.
\nAlthough Malan and Wood passed a fitness test and were given every chance to demonstrate their fitness in time for the grand final against Pakistan, head coach Matthew Mott and skipper Jos Buttler ultimately felt it was not worth taking a chance on the duo.
\nThe left-handed batter said it was \u201cone of the toughest days I\u2019ve ever had as a cricketer\u201d.
\n\u201cWe all have tough times in our careers. Not being able to play the final was probably one of the toughest days I\u2019ve ever had as a cricketer. That\u2019s what sport\u2019s like \u2013 it\u2019s cruel sometimes, \u201c Malan said while speaking after the first ODI against Australia on Thursday.
\n\u201cUnderstandably the decision was taken not to risk Woody and me, even though we\u2019d done what was needed. I had a few tears that night, you never know how many World Cup finals you\u2019re going to be a part of.
\n\u201cIf you\u2019re just not fit and not able to do what\u2019s required, it\u2019s probably easier to take than to pass a fitness test and still be in a situation where you\u2019re still at risk, and you could still let the team down by pulling up the next day in the second over of the game chasing a ball.
\n\u201cMark and myself had a two-minute chat. We both were gutted and then said \u2018it\u2019s not about us anymore, it\u2019s about what the team needed\u2019. It\u2019s in the past. We\u2019ve won the World Cup, that\u2019s all that matters.
\n\u201cTo be fit and perform like I did [in the first ODI], it\u2019s extremely satisfying after the disappointment of last week \u2013 disappointment but also the massive excitement and elation of winning that World Cup.
\n\u201cThere\u2019s so much cricket coming up and I\u2019ve got so much to play for still in my career. I still want to push myself into this squad and still want to be at the next T20 World Cup as well.\u201d
\nThe Buttler-led side went on to beat Pakistan by five wickets after a sensational batting and bowling performance. Sam Curran and Ben Stokes starred in the mega final to bring glory home.
\nThe pacer claimed three wickets, while Stokes smashed 52 runs off 49 balls against the green shirts at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
\nHowever, Malan made his comeback to the side during the ODI match against Australia in the three-match series at the Adelaide Oval on Thursday. He smashed 134 runs off 128 balls, but it came in a losing cause as the English team lost to the Australia by six wickets.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
KARACHI England batter Dawid Malan sobbed like a child after he was denied playing the T20 World Cup 2022 final against Pakistan, the English cricketer shared later. Malan sustained a groin injury during England\u2019s last Super 12 clash against Sri Lanka, while pacer Mark Wood suffered a hip problem. The two players missed the semi-final […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":296151,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-296141","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sports"},"yoast_head":"\n