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"I want us (England) to attack, so I don't like the word defending." These words from skipper Jos Buttler before the tournament showed that the champions meant business when it came to defending their World Cup crown in India.
However, there was nothing 'attacking' in what transpired in Delhi on Sunday night.
A capitulation of epic proportions, a meek surrender that shed light on both the technical as well as mental aspects of the England team. Not an upset, but a reality check given by a team in Afghanistan that had adapted to the conditions better, both physically and mentally.
It just seemed like a shadow of the England team, whose juggernaut began under Eoin Morgan with a promise to play ultra-aggressive cricket. Morgan took the team to the summit in 2019, but Jos Buttler, who was one of the main pillars of that revolution, hasn't quite been able to replicate Morgan's ideology.
Yes, they didn't have the mercurial Ben Stokes available for selection. But when one takes a look at how England have approached the World Cup so far, it may not be a surprise as to why they find themselves in dire straits. Going away from their DNA has hurt them big time.
Jos Buttler's captaincy has lacked thinking on the feet
Jos Buttler did lead his team to T20 World Cup glory last year, but ODI cricket is a different kettle of fish. In the longer format of white-ball cricket, sometimes plans need to be altered on the go, depending on the situation.
The very first decision that he took against Afghanistan, that of opting to bowl first, seemed a bit strange despite the small size of the field.
Albeit on a flatter track, Eoin Morgan had opted to bat first against the same opposition four years ago and had ensured the hosts batted Afghanistan out of the game. His world-record innings of 148, which consisted of 17 sixes, was enough to break the morale of the opposition.
However, Buttler rather handed over the initiative to the Afghanistan openers to set the tone, and Rahmanullah Gurbaz obliged by taking his team off to a flying start.
It took 10 overs for Buttler to bring his first spin option into the attack in Adil Rashid, but the Afghans had already posted 79 runs with no damage in the wickets column.
Thanks to some questionable shot-making, coupled with harakiri in the running, Afghanistan weren't quite able to run away with the start. Buttler then brought the likes of Liam Livingstone and even Joe Root into the attack, and that slowed down the run-scoring further.
It seemed like England missed a trick by playing just one specialist spinner on a pitch that was gripping just a bit. Perhaps someone like Moeen Ali could have and should have made it to the XI in place of Sam Curran, who was mighty expensive with the ball.
The defending champions conceded just 94 runs in the 24 overs of spin that were used, picking up five wickets. From 190/6, Afghanistan was allowed to get to 285, which just shows that had spin been introduced early, the target probably wouldn't have been that competitive.
It just points out how Buttler and Co. failed to read the difference between conditions in Dharamshala and those in Delhi. 'Horses for courses' was England's way of player selection during their victorious run, and that clarity seems to have gone for a toss at the moment.
England lacked the killer instinct they were known for with the bat
With all the mistakes made on the field, one would have still backed England to go get the runs, thanks to their incredibly deep and skillful batting. However, once again, it was the most un-England way in which they approached the target that cost them.
Dawid Malan has been simply sensational and consistent for them in ODIs and was probably rightly selected ahead of an out-of-form Jason Roy. However, the way Roy and Jonny Bairstow used to kill games and chase in the powerplay is nowhere to be seen.
Bairstow is naturally the more aggressive of the current openers, and getting his wicket early on certainly helped Afghanistan's case.
However, it just seemed like both Malan and Joe Root were content with playing within themselves, apparently just waiting to see off the fine opening spell from Fazalhaq Farooqui.
While that phase was dealt with, what England couldn't deal with was the accuracy and skills of Mujeeb-ur-Rahman at the other end. Afghanistan didn't make the mistake of holding their spinners back, and they could build pressure on the opponents right from the get-go.
Content to stay hanging on the back foot and not trying to disturb Mujeeb's length cost Root as he was castled. The star batter did have a look of disbelief towards the pitch, but the only demons present were in his mind.
The tentativeness in their approach, coupled with Afghanistan's growing confidence, ensured that the blunder of bringing Rashid Khan late into the attack turned out to be a masterstroke.
England just had to match Harry Brook
Amidst all the uncertainty in playing the Afghanistan spinners, it was Harry Brook who seemed to be batting on a completely different pitch. The difference? Only a more positive mindset.
The player who probably wouldn't have been in the XI had Stokes been fit, in fact, showed the mirror to the other accomplished batters in the line-up by taking the attack to the Afghanistan bowlers. It wasn't that Brook was just having a slog at everything. It was just that he was trying to find a way to score, rather than survive.
Liam Livingstone has an impressive record against Rashid Khan in T20 cricket. However, he seemed to be hell-bent on playing those delicate nudges around the square region for singles, far from his natural dominant game. The price he paid was getting trapped in front and making that long walk back to the pavilion.
The one common factor among most of the batters was the way they hung on the back foot and hoped that dew would take care of the turn factor.
That's not how it works in the subcontinent, as smothering spin is one of the best ways to counter it. England tried to buy time and let Afghanistan bowlers follow their plans, thereby paying a heavy price.
The shoulders certainly would have dropped, as no one among the players would have envisaged such a result. However, the fact that England couldn't even compete and lost by a 69-run margin will ring alarm bells in that dressing room.
The talent is there. Their abilities and skills are also at their disposal. What they are missing is the DNA of the English white ball revolution that made them the force they were. The match at the weekend against South Africa in Mumbai could mark a significant point in England's World Cup journey.
Although Buttler doesn't like the word 'defending', England are the defending champions at least until November 19 and need to play like one. They need Stokes back, but more than that, they need the mindset back that instilled fear in the minds of the opposition when they stepped onto the field.
Losses to Pakistan, Australia, and Sri Lanka in the previous World Cup meant that the hosts had to win each of the remaining games to go to the summit. That's exactly how it turned out, and England need to draw inspiration from the situation they were in.
Four years on, England find themselves with their backs to the wall yet again. But this time, Buttler needs to walk the talk and show why he doesn't like the word 'defending' by playing the attacking cricket they are known for. They will need to believe that the only way they can move from here is up.
