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England all-rounder Sam Curran hopes to see Australia on the losing side when they face Afghanistan on Friday (November 4) in Adelaide. However, the left-arm seamer hopes for England to beat Sri Lanka in Sydney on Saturday.
While New Zealand look set for a semi-final berth from Group 1, the other spot is a toss-up between Australia and England. However, Jos Buttler and Co. are in pole position to seal a semi-final spot due to their superior net run-rate.
Curran, who has been a top performer with the ball, hopes for Afghanistan to clear the path for them. The Surrey player also stated that the match against Sri Lanka feels like a quarter-final.
As quoted by The Guardian, he said:
"With the position we’re in we’re hoping Australia lose on Friday night, but all we’re focused on is putting in a good performance. The last week has been quite strange. It felt like we were just training and there wasn’t much going on, with all the rain in Melbourne.
"But now we’re going to Sydney and it’s real game time, I think. It’s almost like that quarter-final feeling, which I’ve never been involved in.”
England beat New Zealand on Tuesday by 20 runs in Brisbane to storm into contention. Their hopes received a big boost after an unlikely loss to Ireland in a rain-affected encounter.
"It is just a great tournament and a great standard of cricket" - Sam Curran
The former Chennai Super Kings all-rounder revealed he was enjoying the high-pressure tournament and credited Buttler and vice-captain Moeen Ali for guiding him.
Curran added:
"You’ve got to try and enjoy it. It is just a great tournament and a great standard of cricket. It really tests you, and you’ve got to just back yourself in those moments. I’ve done it many times, but I guess I’m doing it more often now."
"Jos and I will have a conversation about what I’m most comfortable with and about what the surface is doing, and Mo will be involved too, but at the end of the day it is coming out of your hand so you are the one who has got to execute. They give me great confidence and it is on me to deliver."
In three matches, the youngster has picked up nine wickets at 7.44 with a magnificent economy rate of 6.28.
