Lahore, October 26, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
England head coach Brendon McCullum has admitted that his side must improve its decision-making and composure under pressure after suffering consecutive defeats in the ongoing tri-series, with the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa approaching.
England’s latest setback came against Pakistan in Lahore, where they failed to defend a target of 242 despite reducing the hosts to 154 for nine. Shadab Khan’s unbeaten 113, complemented by Haris Rauf’s contribution in a remarkable last-wicket partnership, handed England another painful defeat after their loss to Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi.
McCullum said the defeats had exposed areas requiring urgent attention, particularly the ability to remain calm and make effective decisions when matches reach critical stages.
“Any time you lose, you obviously haven’t been good enough to win. So clearly you’ve got some work to do,” McCullum said after the match.
He added that the two games had presented England with different kinds of pressure situations, offering valuable lessons for a relatively inexperienced squad. The coaching staff will focus on helping players maintain their composure and develop better plans for navigating difficult moments.
McCullum also acknowledged that England need to build experience quickly if they are to challenge seriously for the World Cup. Of the XI that played against Pakistan, only Joe Root, Sam Curran, Gus Atkinson and captain Harry Brook had featured in an ODI World Cup, according to the report.
“Our boys, they are inexperienced. And we know that on the calendar in 12 months’ time there’s a big World Cup,” he said, adding that England had openly recognised the need to improve and expose their players to more demanding situations.
McCullum praised Shadab’s innings as an example of composure and cricketing intelligence, particularly his ability to score effectively while batting alongside the lower order.
England have lost all three of their matches in the tri-series. They must beat Sri Lanka in their next match on Tuesday and depend on other results to retain a chance of reaching the final, with net run rate potentially proving decisive.
FOLLOW NOW
